South Korea, the United States, and Japan conducted their first-ever joint aerial drills on October 12, marking a historic milestone in their defense collaboration, confirmed Tokyo, Seoul, and Washington.
The trilateral exercise took place south of the Korean Peninsula, where Seoul and Tokyo’s air defense identification zones overlap, the South Korean Air Force said.
“This marks the first time for the air powers of South Korea, the United States, and Japan to carry out an aerial exercise,” said the South Korean Airforce.
The primary goal of this drill was to enhance their collective response capabilities in the face of North Korea’s escalating nuclear and missile threats.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, celebrated the joint exercise, characterizing it as a new era of trilateral cooperation in defense.
The joint exercise featured a U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bomber, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, and was conducted in response to the increasing missile and nuclear threats posed by North Korea.
The exercise also included U.S. F-16s from the 80th Fighter Squadron that flew alongside Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2s from the 8th Air Wing, and Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) F-15Ks from the 11th Wing.
The U.S. B-52 bomber arrived at a South Korean airbase on October 17, following a flyover at the country’s largest defense exhibition. These subsonic aircraft are renowned for their impressive range, capable of traveling over 14,000 kilometers without refueling and cruising at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet.
Potential preparations for a North Korean invasion
It is worth noting that North Korea consistently views such exercises as potential preparations for an invasion and has repeatedly issued warnings of taking “overwhelming” action in response. In 2017, North Korea even threatened to “shoot down” U.S. strategic bombers operating outside North Korean airspace.
This recent deployment of the B-52 follows the visit of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan to the region just a week prior, which elicited a strong reaction from Pyongyang.
The timing of this joint exercise is also significant, taking place ahead of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s two-day visit to Pyongyang. Speculation suggests that Moscow may be interested in procuring North Korean ammunition, while Pyongyang seeks Russia’s assistance in developing its internationally criticized missile program.
South Korea’s security partnership with the US
Amid North Korea’s growing weapon tests, South Korea has intensified its security partnership with the United States and has entered into a trilateral defense arrangement that includes Japan.
In August, the leaders of these three nations convened at Camp David, where they reached agreements for regular joint exercises and real-time data sharing to address the North Korean threat.
Earlier this month, the three countries conducted their first joint maritime drill around the Korean Peninsula in seven years. The two-day exercise simulated intercepting North Korean smuggling vessels, underscoring the nations’ commitment to regional security and stability.