As seen in the recent wars in Ukraine and Iran, the rapid depletion of expensive precision-strike assets using low-cost weapon systems has become a crucial strategic tactic. Similarly, Sunchon Airfield—which houses modern fighter-bombers for the defense of Pyongyang—appears to be deploying aging aircraft from the 1950s and 60s for a similar purpose.

However, these aging aircraft are slow, and while they may be difficult to detect via radar, they can be easily tracked by IR sensors and other means. Consequently, they are likely to be classified as low-threat targets, and their actual operational use is expected to be limited due to the prohibitive maintenance costs associated with these platforms.