[Seoul Economy] The Air Force announced on the 21st that it will conduct the first “Ssangmae Exercise” of the year at the Wonju base, jointly with the U.S., until the 24th.
Participating in this exercise are the Republic of Korea Air Force’s 8th Fighter Wing FA-50 fighter jets, KA-1 airborne command and control aircraft, and the U.S. Air Force’s 51st Fighter Wing A-10 attack aircraft. This will be the last participation of the A-10 attack aircraft in the Ssangmae Exercise before its retirement from the Korean Peninsula this year.
During the exercise, Korean and U.S. pilots are scheduled to conduct realistic training such as Close Air Support (CAS) and Sea Combat Patrol (SCP).
The Ssangmae Exercise is a battalion-level combined air exercise where the air forces of Korea and the U.S. deploy their air power alternately to air bases on the Korean Peninsula. It began in 1991 under the name “Friendship Exercise” and has used the current name since 1997.
Major Yoon Pil-sang, an FA-50 pilot from the 8th Fighter Wing taking part in the exercise, said, “We plan to understand each other’s mission environments and share tactical know-how,” expressing his determination that “Korean and U.S. pilots will strengthen the strong joint defense posture as comrades who protect the airspace of the Korean Peninsula together.”