Air Force Major Inspired by Top Gun, Awarded Best Pilot

[Asia Economy Military Specialist Yang Nak-gyu] Major Bang Joo-won (36), a pilot of the F-15K fighter jet belonging to the 11th Fighter Wing, was selected as the '2021 Air Force Best Pilot'.

According to the Air Force on the 4th, among all pilots evaluated, Major Bang received the highest score of 849.6 out of 1000 points. The evaluation criteria included career history, number of operational missions participated, contribution to flight safety, as well as professional knowledge, physical fitness assessment, and mission performance ability over one year.

He chose the path of a pilot after watching the movie 'Top Gun' by chance during his school days. Commissioned in 2008, after completing flight training, he was assigned as a combat pilot and flew the KF-16 fighter jet until 2011. From 2012, he transitioned to the F-15K. His accumulated flight time to date is about 2,100 hours.

Major Bang also participated in numerous joint exercises. Notably, he commanded a nonstop flight of over 10 hours across the Pacific Ocean with aerial refueling to participate in the multinational joint air force exercise 'Red Flag Alaska'.

He also carried out tactical measures during the intrusion of neighboring countries into the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).

Major Bang said, "It was a great honor just to have the opportunity to participate in major operations as an Air Force pilot and elevate the national power of the Republic of Korea and the status of the Air Force. Being selected as the Air Force Best Pilot makes me even more grateful. I would like to express my thanks not only to the flight crew members who completed countless missions together but also to my fellow and senior and junior pilots who are silently performing their duties at the highest points of the Republic of Korea even at this moment."

Meanwhile, in the combat mission field, Major Kim Jin-oh (37), an F-16 pilot, in flight training, Major Park Il-su (37), an F-15K pilot, and in tactical control, Major Lee Se-ri (37), a CN-235 pilot, were each selected and received commendations from the Minister of National Defense. Twenty-three pilots selected as outstanding pilots by aircraft type were awarded commendations from the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

The selection of the Air Force Best Pilot, which began in 1979, is an award given to the pilot who has demonstrated the most outstanding performance across all mission fields during the year. It is distinguished from 'Top Gun,' which means 'the best marksman in the Air Force's top aerial shooting competition.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.