Republic of Korea Air Force Air Force

Planes > Air Forces

The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROK Air Force, ROKAF, Revised Romanization: Daehanminguk Gong-gun) is the air force of South Korea. It operates under the Ministry of National Defense.

Active October 1, 1949 – present
Country Republic of Korea
Type Air Force
Size 65,000 (2010)[1]
Part of Ministry of National Defense
Garrison/HQ Gyeryong
Mascot Haneuli / Purumae
Aircraft 760 (2010)
Engagements
Korean War
Vietnam War
Gulf War
War on Terrorism
Air Force Chief of Staff General Park, Jong Heon (2010.9.30~)

Order of battle

Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters

Air Force Operations Command

5th Tactical Airlift Wing , based at Busan-Gimhae (ICAO RKPK/IATA PUS)
251st Tactical Air Support Squadron flying C-130H and C-130H-30
256th Tactical Air Support Squadron flying CN235-100M
258th Tactical Support Squadron flying CN235-100M and CN235-220M
259th Tactical Air Support Squadron flying UH-60P
15th Composite Wing, based at Seongnam (ICAO RKSM/IATA SSN)
237th Tactical Control Squadron flying 20 KA-1
255th Special Operations Squadron flying C-130H
257th Tactical Air Transport Squadron flying C-130H
35th Combined Group
296th Special Transport Squadron flying the HS-748 (2 aircraft tail numbers 1713 and 1718), CN235-220M (2 aircraft tail numbers 02-050 and 02-051), Boeing 737-3Z6 (1 airaraft tail number 85-101), Sikorsky VH-60P and the new Sikorsky S-92 (3 helicopters tail numbers 05-035, 05-050 and 05-055)
30th Air Defense and Control Wing, based at Osan (ICAO RKSO/IATA OSN)
6th Combat Control Team/Combat Search And Rescue Group

Air Force Northern Combat Command(unit under formation, will be operational by 2010)

8th Fighter Wing, based at Wonju (ICAO RKNW/IATA WBJ)
103rd Fighter Squadron flying F-5E/F-5F/KF-5F
207th Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E and KF-5F
10th Fighter Wing, based at Suwon (ICAO RKSW/IATA SWU)
101st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F
201st Fighter Squadron flying KF-5E/KF-5F/F-5F
39th Tactical Reconnaissance Group
131st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron flying 17 RF-4C Phantom
17th Fighter Wing, based at Cheongju (ICAO RKTU/IATA CJJ)
152nd Fighter Squadron flying F-4E
153rd Fighter Squadron flying F-4E
156th Fighter Squadron flying F-4E
29th Tactical Development & Training Group
191st Tactical Development & Training Squadron flying F-16C/D and KF-16C/D
192nd Tactical Development & Training Squadron flying F-5E/F and KF-5E/F
6th Search & Rescue Group
233rd Combat Search & Rescue Squadron flying Bell 412, Eurocopter AS532L/L2 Cougar and Sikorsky HH-60P helicopters
235th Combat Search & Rescue Squadron flying Kamov HH-32 (KA-32T) and Boeing Vertol HH-47D Chinook helicopters
18th Fighter Wing, based at Gangneung
19th Fighter Wing, based at Chungju
161st Fighter Squadron flying F-16C/D (Block32)
162nd Fighter Squadron flying F-16C/D (Block32)
155th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
159th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
20th Fighter Wing (?20?????), based at Seosan (ICAO RKTP)
120th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
121st Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
123rd Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)
157th Fighter Squadron flying KF-16C/D (Block52)

Air Force Southern Combat Command

1st Fighter Wing, based at Gwanju
11th Fighter Wing, based at Daegu
102nd Fighter Squadron flying F-15K
122nd Fighter Squadron flying F-15K
151st Fighter Squadron flying F-4D
16th Fighter Wing, based at Yecheon (ICAO RKTY/IATA YEC)
202 Fighter Squadron flying F-5E/F-5F/KF-5F
216 Flying Training Squadron flying 16 T-59 (BAe Hawk Mk.67)
38th Fighter Group, based at Gunsan

Air Defence Artillery Command

1st Air Defence Artillery Brigade
2nd Air Defence Artillery Brigade
3rd Air Defence Artillery Brigade

Air Force Logistics Command
Maintenance Depots
Supply Depots
Transportation Groups

Air Force Education & Training Command

Air Force University
Basic Military Training Wing
3rd Flying Training Wing
Air Force Aviation Science High School
Technical Schools

Aerospace Projects Group
Aerial Combat Development Group
Air Force Academy

Air Force Bases

The ROK Air Force operates from eight major airbases. Most personnel are stationed at large, well-defended air bases located at Ch'ongju, Kangnong, Kunsan, Kwangju, Osan, Sunch'on, Suwon, and Taegu. The air force also operates an unknown number of smaller airbases. Civilian airfields, including three international airfields at Seoul, Pusan, and Cheju, would be utilized in wartime, as would specially designed sections of major highways.

The Tactical Air Control Center at Osan became operational in 1983. The Theater Air Control Center has a full control over all air operations. Reconnaissance aircraft and air defense radar sites informed the center about potentially hostile aircraft before they entered South Korean airspace. In wartime this capability was expected to allow South Korean air controllers more time to assess threat and the ability quickly to communicate orders to interceptor aircraft and surface-to-air missile sites.

According to Keith Rowe and Dan Allmacher in their Order of Battle for the ROK Air Force there are some 641 hardened aircraft shelters in South Korea for both US and ROKAF aircraft.

Name	DAFIF	ICAO	Latitude	Longitude	Runway ft.	Elevation ft.	Type
Major Military Air Bases
CHONGJU INTL	KS18851	RKTU	36.718	127.496	9,000	191	B
CHOONGWON AB	KS89820	RKTI	37.030	127.886	9,330	281	C
KANGNUNG	KS87140	RKNN	37.754	128.944	9,000	35	B
KUNSAN AB	KS30467	RKJK	35.904	126.616	9,000	29	C
KWANGJU	KS40957	RKJJ	35.128	126.810	9,300	42	B
OSAN AB	KS51390	RKSO	37.091	127.030	9,004	40	C
SACHON AB	KS35832	RKPS	35.089	128.070	9,000	25	C
SEOSAN AB	KS45940	RKTP	36.705	126.486	9,000	39	C
SEOUL AB	KS23347	RKSM	37.446	127.114	9,700	92	C
SUWON	KS48753	RKSW	37.239	127.007	9,000	86	C
TAEGU AB	KS48012	RKTN	35.894	128.659	9,290	116	B
Minor Military Air Bases
A 306	KS35753	RKNC	37.884	127.718	4,053	245	C
A 511	KS23937	RKSG	36.961	127.034	6,141	51	C
R 103	KS99765	RK	37.475	126.747	1,469	92	D
R 107	KS99733	RK	37.715	126.559	1,279	45	D
R 110	KS99754	RK	37.763	126.792	1,600	65	D
R 113	KS71169	RKSK	37.601	126.869	3,700	64	D
R 129	KS99734	RK	37.956	126.921	1,220	115	D
R 203	KS99737	RK	37.642	127.149	1,558	80	D
R 213	KS99776	RK	37.815	127.350	2,200	420	D
R 217	KS60404	RKRO	37.867	127.175	3,640	328	D
R 218	KS99735	RK	37.894	126.971	1,700	361	D
R 219	KS99736	RK	37.908	127.014	1,700	295	D
R 222	KS82637	RK	37.831	126.991	3,500	287	D
R 225	KS99744	RK	38.018	126.975	820	100	D
R 227	KS99746	RK	38.024	127.107	1,500	220	D
R 228	KS99747	RK	38.030	127.141	1,900	228	D
R 231	KS99721	RK	38.025	127.368	2,400	425	D
R 233	KS99725	RK	38.079	127.272	2,300	340	D
R 237	KS99722	RK	38.153	127.312	3,800	510	D
R 239	KS99748	RK	38.199	127.222	1,970	630	D
R 240	KS99749	RK	38.249	127.377	1,730	630	D
R 301	KS99739	RK	37.502	127.630	1,638	230	D
R 307	KS99740	RK	37.929	127.757	1,800	270	D
R 311	KS99751	RK	38.052	127.798	1,410	590	D
R 312	KS99723	RK	38.073	127.523	1,900	855	D
R 313	KS99730	RK	38.122	127.687	1,700	460	D
R 314	KS99726	RK	38.138	127.742	1,900	600	D
R 317	KS99750	RK	38.216	127.654	1,862	750	D
R 321	KS99756	RK	38.265	127.564	2,200	900	D
R 404	KS51338	RKNY	38.088	127.987	3,600	675	D
R 405	KS99817	RK	38.119	128.040	2,100	721	D
R 406	KS99724	RK	38.138	128.007	1,672	656	D
R 412	KS99753	RK	38.242	128.208	2,400	950	D
R 413	KS99729	RK	38.383	128.458	2,288	164	D
R 414	KS99752	RK	38.106	128.200	1,160	672	D
R 417	KS99743	RK	37.650	128.570	1,312	1722	D
R 419	KS99758	RK	37.700	127.900	2,639	450	D
R 420	KS99741	RK	37.956	128.314	2,700	900	D
R 500	KS99727	RK	36.111	127.104	1,182	66	D
R 501	KS99764	RK	37.287	127.227	2,001	243	D
R 505	KS29498	RK	36.571	127.296	3,100	82	D
R 510	KS70967	RK	37.201	127.472	5,230	211	C
R 522	KS99732	RK	36.180	127.833	1,280	546	D
R 526	KS99760	RK	36.584	126.660	1,250	197	D
R 530	KS99759	RK	36.754	126.331	1,480	40	D
R 536	KS99994	RK	36.262	127.117	3,937	93	D
R 605	KS87064	RK	37.162	128.220	3,790	953	D
R 710	KS99996	RK	35.345	127.020	1,200	132	D
R 712	KS99787	RK	35.305	126.496	1,746	30	D
Civlian Dual Use Airfields
CHEJU INTL	KS10983	RKPC	33.511	126.493	9,843	118	A
CHINHAE	KS89597	RKPE	35.141	128.696	3,600	8	D
JHUNJU	KS13888	RKJU	35.878	127.120	4,925	96	B
JUNGSEOK AERODROME	KS03854	RKPD	33.400	126.712	7,589	1171	A
KIMHAE INTL	KS89580	RKPK	35.180	128.938	10,499	13	B
KIMPO INTL	KS60585	RKSS	37.559	126.790	11,811	58	A
MOKPO	KS48219	RKJM	34.759	126.380	5,249	23	B
POHANG	KS93016	RKTH	35.988	129.420	7,000	70	D
SOKCHO	KS04498	RKND	38.148	128.601	5,118	99	C
SONGMU	KS03499	RKTE	36.568	127.500	4,000	258	C
ULSAN	KS85850	RKPU	35.594	129.352	6,562	42	D
WONJU	KS20127	RKNW	37.438	127.960	9,000	329	B
YECHON	KS99718	RKTY	36.632	128.355	9,000	354	C
YEOSU	KS21015	RKJY	34.840	127.615	5,085	68