Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

On June 1, six KF-16 fighter jets took off briskly towards Eielson Air Force Base in US Alaska, where the Red Flag air combat drills will be held. 

According to Republic of Korea's Air Force, the drill team is scheduled to join the Red Flag-Alaska training at the Eielson Air Force Base. The training will be held under the supervision of the US Pacific Air Forces from the 12th to the 23rd of this month.  

In addition to the six KF-16 fighter jets, a C-130 cargo plane and more than 100 personnel including pilots, armed maintenance agents, and support agents will be dispatched for the drills.  

The jets took off at the ROKAF 20th Fighter Wing in the early morning of that day, originally scheduled to travel a flight distance of 7700㎞ n0nstop to arrive in Alaska, a trip that would have involved 10 aerial refueling. But they made a stopover at Yokota Air Force Base in Japan at around 9 AM due to a change in aerial refueling support from the US Air Force. 

After a 24-hour stay at Yokota Base, Republic of Korea's drill team will continue flying immediately when aerial refueling is back to normal. They will reach Red Flag-Alaska on the 12th after going through a preliminary drill which starts on the 5th. 

Red Flag-Alaska is an air combat team training among multinational air forces including Korea and USA. It started from Cope Thunder in 1976 and was re-designated as Red Flag-Alaska in 2006.  

Participating in the cargo plane training in 2001, Republic of Korea's Air Force has also joined in the fighter jet training since 2013. Last year, F-15K fighter jets of the 11th Fighter Wing performed actual air training in Alaska along with the US, New Zealand and NATO air forces.

By Sang-Yun, Kim < ksy0609@dema.mil.kr >

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