A South Korean F-35A fighter jet fires an AIM-120C air-to-air missile over waters off the country’s west coast on Aug. 26, 2024, in this photo provided by the Air Force. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea and the United States commenced a joint live-fire aerial exercise on Monday, a move aimed at bolstering defenses against the growing threat posed by North Korea. The South Korean Air Force announced that the three-day exercise began earlier in the day over the waters off South Korea’s western coast.
The exercise has mobilized approximately 60 military aircraft, including South Korea’s F-35A, F-15K, and KF-16 fighter jets, alongside U.S. A-10 attack aircraft. According to the Air Force, the drills are specifically designed to test response protocols to simultaneous air and land provocations from North Korea, such as cruise missile launches and long-range artillery attacks.
Throughout the week, the participating aircraft will engage in a series of exercises. South Korea’s F-35As and F-15Ks are slated to practice missile launches to neutralize aerial threats, while KF-16s and U.S. A-10s will focus on deploying air-to-ground weapons to target simulated enemy positions. On the first day, F-35As fired AIM-120C medium-range air-to-air missiles, while KF-16s dropped GBU-31 joint direct attack munitions, capable of penetrating reinforced concrete up to one meter thick, according to the Air Force.
A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet drops a GBU-31 bomb over waters off the country’s west coast on Aug. 26, 2024, in this photo provided by the Air Force. (Yonhap)
“We will maintain a strong posture to immediately respond to any provocations by the enemy,” said Maj. Cha Seung-min, a South Korean pilot involved in the drills, emphasizing the high stakes of the ongoing exercises.
The live-fire drills are being conducted in tandem with the broader 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, set to conclude on Thursday. North Korea has consistently condemned these joint military activities, viewing them as rehearsals for an invasion.
In a related development, Adm. Kim Myung-soo, Chairman of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited the armed forces headquarters in Gyeryong, approximately 90 miles south of Seoul, to oversee the UFS exercise. During his visit, Adm. Kim stressed the importance of integrating military and government efforts to sustain support for troops during wartime, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
The UFS exercise is rooted in an all-out war scenario, reflecting the full spectrum of threats posed by North Korea’s missile program and drawing lessons from recent global armed conflicts.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
