According to the authorities, the exercise, in which the South Korean Air Force mobilized its fighter jets F-35A and the Americans deployed fighters F-35B y F-16was carried out in order to “strengthen the interoperability of the air forces of both countries” and to “cover strategic bombers from enemy air threats.”
The drills “show the firm determination of the US-South Korea alliance, and its perfect willingness to respond to any North Korean provocation quickly and massively,” said the commander of the Force Operations Command. South Korean Air Force, Lt. Gen. Park Ha Sik.
On March 20, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan, probably as a protest, according to local media, for the Ssangyong military exercise, which included joint landing drills for EU and South Korea. It was the 10th rocket launch since the start of the year, and in eight of those North Korea has tested ballistic missiles.
On Monday, the South Korean Navy, along with the US and Japan, began “anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue training” exercises. Also, this Tuesday the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz de EE.UU.capable of carrying 90 aircraft, led trilateral anti-submarine warfare exercises off the South Korean island of Jeju.
With information from RT.