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Korea, U.S. militaries to launch large-scale air exercise

Published: 09 Apr. 2026, 12:35 Updated: 09 Apr. 2026, 18:55

U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers, F-16 fighter jets, Korean Air Force F-15K fighter jets and Japanese Air Force F-2 fighter jets fly during a trilateral air drill at an undisclosed location on Nov. 3, 2024. [US AIR FORCE/AP/YONHAP]

Korea and the United States will launch their large-scale air exercise this week to strengthen their interoperability and survivability in joint operations, the Korean Air Force said on Thursday.

The semiannual drills will kick off at an air base in the southwestern city of Gwangju on Friday and run for two weeks, incorporating defensive counter air, air interdiction and close air support training programs according to the armed service.

Korea will mobilize an array of fighter jets, including the F-15K, KF-16 and F-35A; KA-1 light attack aircraft; transport planes such as the KC-330; as well as the E-737 Peace Eye. The U.S. Air Force's F-16 and RQ-4 Global Hawk, as well as the U.S. Marines' F/A-18 and MQ-9 Reaper, will join the drills.

This year's exercise will be led by the Korean side — as Seoul seeks to achieve the handover of operational wartime command from Washington by 2030 — and focus on evaluating capabilities to conduct combined operations, the Korean Air Force said.

The drills will also aim to verify and supplement integrated mission concepts of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets to factor in changes in modern warfare, it added.

Freedom Flag was launched in 2024 to replace regular large-scale air exercises between the allies: Korea Flying Training in the first half of the year and Vigilant Defense in the second half.

Yonhap