In a thrilling twist, the United States Air Force has deployed one of its two highly strategic reconnaissance aircraft, the Combat Sent (RC-135U), over the Korean Peninsula. This move comes following North Korea’s provocative missile tests, which were personally supervised by the nation’s leader, Kim Jong Un.
The Combat Sent is a significant force on the international stage. Outfitted with high-performance advanced sensors, this state-of-the-art aircraft is capable of capturing missile launch electronic signals and signs of nuclear tests from hundreds of kilometers away. These real-time reports are directly delivered to the highest-ranking officials, including the US President and Secretary of Defense.
The deployment of Combat Sent to the Korean Peninsula follows a period of increased tension. North Korea’s recent missile provocations, targeted at the US and its allies, have raised the possibility of a high-intensity act like an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launch or a seventh nuclear test.
According to military aircraft tracking sites, the Combat Sent took off from the Kadena base in Okinawa, Japan, on the 18th, flying over the West Sea and being deployed in the airspace above Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. It then traversed the Korean Peninsula from west to east, conducting a long-duration reconnaissance flight over the North.
The Combat Sent’s deployment over the Korean Peninsula is the first since February, marking a hiatus of just over three months. The aircraft’s advanced sensors can collect strategic information, including subtle signals from hundreds of kilometers away, and electronic signals before and after missile launches.
Military insiders suggest that North Korea’s recent escalations in nuclear force warnings aimed at the US could be a pretext for an ICBM provocation and a seventh nuclear test. “The US is certainly paying attention to these developments and is on high alert for related trends,” said one military analyst.
