South Korea and the U.S. Decide to Extend Vigilant Storm Exercise

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The South Korean and U.S. Air Forces recently decided to extend the duration of the joint air exercise "Vigilant Storm" in response to ongoing provocations by North Korea.

According to the Air Force on the 3rd, the exercise began on the 31st of last month and was originally scheduled to end on the 4th of this month, but the period will be extended. Details regarding the extension are currently under consultation between South Korea and the U.S.

The Air Force explained the reason for the extension, stating, "The Air Operations Command and the U.S. 7th Air Force Command in Korea agreed on the necessity to demonstrate the firm combined defense posture of the ROK-U.S. alliance amid the heightened security crisis caused by North Korea's provocations."

Vigilant Storm is a large-scale exercise involving about 240 aircraft, including approximately 140 South Korean Air Force aircraft such as F-35A, F-15K, KF-16 fighters, and KC-330 aerial refueling tankers, as well as about 100 U.S. military aircraft including F-35B fighters, EA-18 electronic warfare aircraft, U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance planes, and KC-135 aerial refueling tankers.

F-35B stealth fighters stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan landed at a domestic base for the first time to participate in the exercise, and the Royal Australian Air Force also joined the ROK-U.S. joint exercise for the first time, deploying one KC-30A aerial refueling tanker.

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