North Korea's most fearsome weapon

Amid escalating tensions with the United States, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has tested a particularly terrifying weapon.

Recent images show North Korean paratroopers jumping out of two 70-year-old transport planes - Antonov An-2, Arirang reported.

Many experts believe that Pyongyang will not use these old planes when it possesses nuclear weapons. However, the US press still commented that this old plane could be North Korea's deadliest weapon, Fox News said.

The An-2s raised concerns that they could be used to deliver nuclear bombs and attack any specific target without activating the radar system.

The North Korean military reportedly has a fleet of up to 200 Antonov An-2s, which were first introduced in 2015 but are widely considered outdated.

But what makes these vintage planes so dangerous? They have a particularly low radar signature, making them difficult for conventional aircraft to track.

According to The Drive, An-2 aircraft fly at a relatively slow speed and at low altitude, making it difficult for surface-to-air missile systems to detect and intercept.

The Antonov An-2 was originally designed for spraying insecticide and transporting cargo. It can land on short runways or on roads, allowing for easy and covert deployment of troops.

According to the BBC, the An-2 first took to the air in 1947 as the Soviet Union rebuilt its country after the end of World War II. In addition to its remarkable ability to take off and land on short runways, it can also fly backward.

“The reason the An-2 is still in service is because there is no other aircraft like it,” says aviation journalist Bernie Leighton, who has flown an An-2 in Belarus. “If you need an aircraft that can carry 10 soldiers, people or goats, it can take off and land anywhere.”

The Soviet Union built more than 10,000 of these aircraft.

According to VNN