South Korea Stages ‘Elephant Walk’ With Its F-35As A Day After North Korea Test-Fired A Large ICBM
March 25, 2022
ROKAF F-35s during the Elephant Walk on Mar. 25, 2022. (Image credit: ROK MOD)
The Republic Of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has carried out training activities that included an “Elephant Walk” with 28 F-35s on the day after North Korea test-launched a “monster” Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
On Mar. 24, 2022, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) strategic forces test-launched the new Hwasongpho-17 intercontinental ballistic missile “under the direct guidance” of its leader Kim Jong Un. The launch was carried out at the Pyongyang International Airport, North Korea’s main international airport, according to state media. The ICBM was test fired vertically, from a TEL (Transporter Erector Launcher) and flew 1,090 kilometres for 4,052 seconds reaching the highest altitude of 6,248.5 kilometres before “correctly hitting the target in the set waters over the East Sea of Korea”.
Dubbed a “monster” missile for its size, the new ICBM was originally unveiled during the Korean Workers Party parade on Oct. 10, 2020. The ballistic missile, believed to carry multiple warheads and have a range exceeding 13,000 km, had already been used for two tests, on Feb. 27 and Mar. 5, 2022, that did not demonstrate ICBM range but were likely useful to evaluate this new system before conducting a test at full range in the future, potentially disguised as a space launch. The one on Mar. 24 is believed to be the fourth launch for the Hwasongpho-17 as the missile is presumed to have failed on test carried out on Mar. 16, 2022.
https://theaviationist.com/2022/03/25/rokaf-f-35-elephant-walk/
