AirForces Monthly – September 2019

#378 September 2019 // 83

Air Wing 6 units

Group Unit Unit base or HQ Type Aircraft Notes

61 Patrol Air

Group at Pohang

611 Squadron Pohang Fixed-wing

maritime patrol,

 eet support

P-3C/CK,

Caravan II

613 Squadron Pohang MPA P-3C/CK

615

‘Sea Eagles’

Squadron

Jeju MPA P-3CK

Tactical

Support Center

(TSC)

Pohang Non- ying unit

62 Maritime

Helicopter Group

at Jinhae

620 Base

Squadron

Jinhae Supports aviation

operations at

Jinhae

Non- ying unit

621 Flight

Squadron

(inactive)

Mokpo SA319B Active as of 2005

622 Flight

Squadron

Jinhae and/or

Pyeongtaek

AW159 Dets on ships

and other forward

bases

625 Maintenance

Squadron

Jinhae Non- ying unit Personnel

deployed to ships

and air bases

627 Flight

Squadron

Pyeongtaek Super Lynx/

AW159

Dets on ships

and other forward

bases

629 Flight

Squadron

Jinhae (K-10) Lynx Mk99/99A Dets on ships

and other forward

bases

63 (Amphibious

Assault) Landing

Manoeuvre

Helicopter Group

631 ‘Angry

Eagles’ Landing

Manoeuvre

Helicopter

Squadron

Pohang (K-3) SAR, special

ops transport,

amphibious

op erations

support

UH-60P, UH-1H Deploys aboard

the ROKS

Dokdo for

troop transport/

amphibious

assault

633 Flight

Squadron

(Command

Helicopter

Squadron)

Nonsan or Daejon

(near tri-services

HQ at Gyereong

Command/VIP

transport

UH-60P

Logistics Group

65 at Pohang

(K-3)

651 Maintenance

Squadron

Pohang Non- ying unit (formerly 631

Electrical &

Weapons Maint

Sqn)

653 Maintenance

Squadron

Pohang Non- ying unit (formerly 633

Electrical &

Weapons Maint

Sqn)

655 Maintenance

Squadron or

Maintenance Sqn

655

Pohang Non- ying unit (formerly 635

Electrical &

weapons Maint

Sqn)

NATC (Naval Air

Technical Center)

Pohang Non- ying unit

66 Naval Base

Group

Pohang Non- ying unit Including air traf c

control and admin

services

609 Education &

Training Unit at

Mokpo

1st Flight Training

Squadron

Mokpo Trains naval and

Marine Corps

helicopter pilots

Lynx, UH-1H,

SA319B

Operates a mix of

three types with

holdings of at

least  ve aircraft

Sea Survival

Training Center

Pohang Non- ying unit

Flight training sqn

det at civilian air

training school

Muan

Left:Harpoon-equipped P-3C/CKs temporarily operating from Yecheon, home of the ROKAF’s 16th Fighter Wing, while

the airfi eld at Pohang was undergoing renovation. The CK-standard aircraft are modernised P-3B airframes acquired

from US stocks. According to US sources, nine airframes were acquired but just eight were made airworthy. ROKN/MND

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com

Airforces

Intelligence

‘In association with ....’

airforcesintel.com

DAPA issued a tender to study

possible F-35B operations

from ‘LPH’-class ships and the

modifications required for these

platforms. This put to rest long-

time speculation among South

Korean watchers that the LPH

ships would eventually operate

F-35 fighters. While some

observers think ‘LPH’ refers to

the Dokdo/Marado-class ships,

other sources suggest that a

new-design LPH is needed since

the current configuration of the

hangar and aviation facilities in

Top left: A Caravan II employed in

the target-towing role. The ROKN’s

61 Patrol Air Group (or Patrol Air

Group 61) at Pohang operates all the

service’s fi xed-wing naval aircraft.

Its fl eet comprises 16 P-3C/CKs

and fi ve Caravan II fl eet support

and training aircraft. ROK Navy Top

right: SA319B Alouette III serial

790310 approaching Mokpo late

last year. This base is home to the

ROKN’s 609 Education & Training

Unit. The Alouette III helicopters,

which are overhauled by Korean

Air, will require replacement in

the near future. Left:A computer

graphic of the forthcoming landing

platform helicopter (LPH) vessel

ROKS ‘Marado’ showing both V-22

and UH-60P aircraft embarked.

It is not known if the extant UH-

60P helicopters have blade-folding

capability or if kits will be added

to these aircraft. DAPA Below:An

AW159 Wildcat armed with Spike

missiles at Jinhae in July 2016. The

helicopters can be equipped with

various combinations of ASW and

ASuW weapons and have two pilots

and a sonar operator but no TACCO.

Though specifi cally confi gured for

ASW, the cabin can be reconfi gured

for other roles. ROK Navy/MND

80-84 ROKNPart AFM Sep2019.indd 83 8/5/2019 3:39:27 PM