Joint Air Exercises Conducted by South Korea, US, and Japan with B-1B Bombers

Synopsis

On January 15, South Korea, the US, and Japan executed joint air drills involving B-1B bombers. This exercise comes in light of North Korea's recent missile tests, aiming to enhance defense capabilities against evolving threats from Pyongyang.

Key Takeaways

Joint air drills held by South Korea, US, and Japan.
Involvement of B-1B bombers and fighter jets.
Response to North Korea's missile launches.
Focus on enhancing deterrence capabilities.
Commitment to a secure Indo-Pacific region.

Seoul, Jan 15 (NationPress) South Korea, the United States, and Japan conducted joint air drills on Wednesday, featuring two B-1B bombers, as reported by officials, in response to North Korea's recent hypersonic and short-range ballistic missile launches.

This trilateral exercise, the first of its kind this year, also included South Korean F-15K and Japanese F-2 fighter jets, according to the South Korean defense ministry. The last such drills took place in November of the previous year.

The recent drills aimed to bolster their collective ability to deter and counter North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, such as the claimed launch of a hypersonic ballistic missile earlier this month, the ministry noted.

North Korea asserted that it successfully launched what it termed a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile on January 6, followed by a series of short-range ballistic missile launches on Tuesday.

Following the January 6 test, North Korea claimed the new missile utilized a novel carbon fiber compound and an unspecified "comprehensive and effective" method.

However, the South's military dismissed these claims as "deceptive," casting doubt on the North's hypersonic capabilities.

These missile tests occurred just days before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, scheduled for January 20.

According to the ministry, "South Korea, the US, and Japan will enhance collaboration to jointly counter North Korea's threats and respond effectively while continuously expanding trilateral drills based on close cooperation."

The US Indo-Pacific Command stated that Wednesday's escort flight underscores the robust trilateral cooperation, which allows for an "immediate coordinated response to regional security challenges."

"Our three nations are steadfast in their commitment to a shared vision of a secure, rules-based, free, and open Indo-Pacific region," it added.

Alongside the trilateral exercises, the South Korean and US Air Forces conducted their inaugural combined live-fire aerial exercise of the year on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening their joint defense posture, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

In this exercise, two F-15K fighters from South Korea's 11th Fighter Wing and two A-10 attack aircraft from the US 51st Fighter Wing participated in close air support training, which involved approximately 20 MK-82 bombs, according to the South's Air Force.