Kim Jong Un has pledged to provide “new strategic military assets” to North Korea’s outdated air force to make it a force to reckon with in the event of a war with Pyongyang’s “enemies,” signaling his intent to elevate the oft-neglected military branch with nuclear upgrades.

At an Aviation Day celebration on Friday commemorating the 80th founding anniversary of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) Air Force, Kim hailed the air force as one that has “stood at the forefront of the struggle to protect the sovereignty and national interests” of the DPRK, the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun reported Sunday.