While it may seem more likely that the unstable North Korean regime might fire off some kind of nuclear weapon or long-range ballistic missile to attack or intimidate South Korea, the possibility of some kind of massive, mechanized ground assault across the DMZ cannot be fully discounted.
South Korea’s deterrence posture, it would seem, would be well served by preparing to repel some kind of armored assault from the North.
This kind of deterrence could of course be achieved by simply maintaining a modernized, trained and well-equipped standing Army to defend the border, yet it also stands to reason that preventing this kind of attack could be a main reason why South Korea is picking up the F-35.
South Korea F-35s
Of course the existence of a stealthy 5th-generation fighter such as the F-35 could give South Korea an increased ability to destroy North Korean air defenses, achieve air superiority or even track and attack the North’s known arsenal of road-mobile missile launchers.
Beyond this somewhat self-evident circumstance, an F-35 could prove decisive and impactful in any kind of defensive stand against a North Korean invasion.
This is particularly true given the glaring discrepancy between the North and South Korean Armies.
North and South Korean Armies
Globalfirepower.com lists North Korea as now operating a sizeable 1.3 million man active duty force, with millions more in paramilitary support.
Their military reportedly operates as many as 6,000 tanks and 10,000 armored vehicles alongside a well known arsenal of medium range ballistic missiles capable of reaching major South Korean cities.
South Korea, by comparison, is listed by Global Firepower as having only 600,000 active duty forces as several million fewer paramilitary capable soldiers, when compared with North Korea.
Perhaps of even greater consequence, South Korea is cited as operating only 2,800 tanks, less than one half of North Korea’s 6,000.
F-35s – Massive Air Superiority Advantage
What this means, it would seem clear, is that having massive air superiority in the form of an F-35 force would give South Korea a very credible and realistic chance of destroying an invasion from a much larger North Korean Army.
