U.S. Bombers Conduct Drill in South Korea Over Pyongyang Threat

by Dramelin 3:30 AM 0 comments

strategic bombers led a joint military exercise in South Korea on Saturday in response to this week’s launch by North Korea of an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking Alaska.
The B-1B Lancers, deployed from the U.
base in Guam, conducted an air-to-surface firing drill in Gangwon province, near the border with North Korea, the U.
Air Force said in a statement.
They were joined by South Korean F-15 and U.
F-16 fighter jets.
The mission was in response to the “increasingly escalatory actions” by North Korea including the firing of an ICBM, the Pacific Air Forces said.
North Korea’s first confirmed test of an intermediate-range ballistic missile is becoming a key test of President Donald Trump’s vow to stop Pyongyang’s weapons programs.
officials said this week the weapon could be capable of flying as far as 5,500 kilometers (3,400 miles), enough to put Alaska within the range of an attack.
While the response by the U.
military is to a certain extent a show of force, the firing drill was unusual, according to Koh Yu-Hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University.
“The revealing of the drill by bombers is saber-rattling by South Korea and the U.
against the launch of the ICBM,” Koh said.
“This time, the bombers carried out a firing drill, which is unusual.
” The drill was aimed at precision strikes against core military facilities of the enemy, including a launch pad for a ballistic missile, according to a South Korean Air Force statement.
On their way to return to the Guam base, the U.
bombers joined Japanese fighter jets and carried out a drill over the East China Sea, the U.
North Korea Defies the World With Nuclear Ambitions: QuickTake “North Korea’s actions are a threat to our allies, partners and homeland,” General Terrence O’ Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Force commander, said in the statement.
“Let me be clear, if called upon we are trained, equipped and ready to unleash the full lethal capability of our allied air forces.
” The joint exercise with the bombers, which has happened before, came as the U.
, Japan and South Korea condemned the missile launch and called for more action against North Korea.
South Korean President Moon Jae-In said in Berlin that he was willing to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un “anywhere, anytime” to talk.
is planning to carry out a test of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system against an intermediate-range ballistic missile in the coming days, Reuters reported.
The test of the interceptors, which had been planned months ago, will take place from Alaska, the news agency reported.