Anonymous commented December 23, 2018 that a South Korean (SK) destroyer [1] locked its weapon-guidance radar onto a Japanese Navy Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). This occured twice for several minutes on December 20, 2018 within the Japanese EEZ [2-3]. See complexity of location statuses in Map below.
The SK Navy said the radar irradiation was used being used, on December 20, 2018, to search for a North Korean ship in distress.
Japan’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) does not believe the SK explanation and believes the radar lock-on was intentional. This is because a weapon-guidance radar is not suitable for surface search purposes [5]. Japan’s MoD feels SK Navy conducted a hostile act against a friendly country. This SK act breeds distrust between Japan and SK.
[1] SK Navy Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer (DDH-971)
[2] https://www.sankei.com/politics/news/181222/plt1812220012-n1.html[in Japanese]
[3] https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-Relations/Japan-accuses-South-Korea-of-locking-radar-on-patrol-plane[very interesting and in English]
[4] http://www.mod.go.jp/j/press/news/2018/12/22a.html
[5] SK Gwanggaeto the Great destroyers are equipped with complex sensors (see wikipedia right sidebar) including a:
- Signal Tracking and Illuminating Radar (STR) for weapon-guidance. This was used to track or
“paint” the P-1. According to experts STRs are not used for surface search, and
- AN/SPS-55 radar for surface search.
Pete Comment
Distrust remains between South Korea and Japan partly due to unresolved disputessince Japan’s occupation of Korea which ended in 1945. Several of the disputes include islands and territorial waters and so includes the Destroyer-MPA confrontation.
Japan and South Korea are not enemies but they are not friends.
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Map: Pete Comment - This South Korean hani new agency map, illustrating the destroyer-MPA confrontation, reflects the complexity of different territorial statuses to which was added the complexity of the destroyer's differing radar functions.
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Anonymous and
Have a Happy New Year
from Pete