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The war game, code-named Ulchi Freedom Shield 25, began on August 18 and aims to strengthen the response capabilities of the U.S. and its treaty ally, South Korea.
North Korea has denounced the drill as an “expression” of the allies’ will to invade the country, warning that if Washington and Seoul “continuously persist in the…military rehearsal,” they would face an unpleasant situation and “pay a price.”
Under leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea has modernized its nuclear missiles capable of targeting U.S. mainland and its naval forces. Kim has also deepened ties with Russia by sending soldiers to support its war against Ukraine.
In a photo released by the U.S. Air Force on Sunday, two F-35A fighter aircraft can be seen flying alongside an F-16 jet during a dogfighting training scenario as part of Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 25. The training drill took place at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea on August 20.
Dogfighting refers to aerial battles between fighter aircraft. The recent training drill offered participants “realistic combat scenarios designed to bolster shared understanding and combined defense capabilities,” the photo caption reads.
A group of 10 U.S.-operated F-35A and F-35B fighter jets has been temporarily deployed to Kunsan Air Base for Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 25, which is scheduled to conclude on Thursday. The F-35A jets are assigned to the 421st Fighter Squadron, stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. In April, they deployed fighter jets to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Island as part of “continuous rotations of aircraft” there.
The F-35B jets were likely dispatched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni on Honshu, one of Japan’s main islands. Unlike its sister variant, the F-35A that operates from conventional runways, the F-35B is capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings.
Kim Yong Bok, first vice-chief of the General Staff of the North Korean military, issued a statement on Monday regarding the war game, accusing it of having a “threatening nature” and showing a U.S. intention to occupy the Korean Peninsula and attack its adversaries in the region.
It remains to be seen whether North Korea will conduct missile launches in response to the allied military exercise or if the U.S. will deploy additional military units as part of the drill.
