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| ▲ A South Korean F-35A fighter takes off at an air base in Cheongju, 140 kilometers south of Seoul, to join combined air drills with the United States on Feb. 3, 2023, in this photo released by the South's Air Force. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
S Korea-US-air drills
S. Korea, U.S. hold joint air drills involving F-22, F-35 stealth fighters
SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States on Friday staged combined air drills, involving U.S. F-22 and F-35B stealth fighters, in a show of America's "invariable will and capability" to keep its security commitment to the Asian ally, Seoul's Air Force said.
The allies conducted the drills over the Yellow Sea, just two days after they staged air maneuvers, involving B-1B strategic bombers and F-22 and F-35B jets from the U.S. military. In both drills, the South deployed its F-35A jets.
"The combined drills this time were conducted with the goal of improving combined operational capabilities and interoperability between the Air Forces of South Korea and the U.S.," the armed service said in a statement.
"It demonstrates the U.S.' invariable will and capability to carry out its defense commitment to South Korea," it added.
The exercise comes a day after the North warned it would "take the toughest reaction" to any military action by the U.S. under the principle of "nuke for nuke and an all-out confrontation for an all-out confrontation."
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