On Monday, the United States and South Korea started one of their biggest joint military air drills, with hundreds of jets from both sides simulating attacks around the clock for more than a week. The U.S. Air Force said in a statement last week that the operation, codenamed Vigilant Storm, will go until Friday and involve around 240 warplanes flying 1,600 sorties. It was added that this year’s event had the most missions ever.
Joint exercises have been denounced by Pyongyang as an invasion practise and evidence of hostile tactics by Washington and Seoul. North Korea has launched missiles, engaged in aviation exercises, and blasted artillery into the ocean in protest of recent drills. The allies claim that this type of training is necessary to combat possible threats from North Korea, which has conducted a record number of missile launches this year and has made preparations to resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017.
Among other aircraft, Vigilant Storm will feature F-35 stealth fighter variants from the US and South Korea. For the exercises, Australia will also send out an aerial refuelling aircraft.
“(South Korea) and US Air Forces will work together with the joint services to perform major air missions such as close air support, defensive counter air, and emergency air operations 24 hours a day during the training period,” the U.S. Air Force said. “Support forces on the ground will also train their base defence procedures and survivability in case of attack.”
The 12-day Hoguk 22 field exercises, which included some drills with US forces and included mock amphibious landings and river crossings, were completed by South Korean troops on Friday.
