Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

“Battle of the blue and the red, perfect combat capability of Korea-U.S. combined Air Forces”

The Air Force Chief of Staff, Choi Cha-Kyu, had a commanding flight, playing a virtual enemy aircraft at the “2014 second Max Thunder” training. He boarded F-15K, the Red Air(enemy forces), and performed his enemy role to block our forces’ air interdiction operations, the Blue Air(friendly forces) consisting of KF-16, F-15K and F-18.

His role was to strike down the Blue Air in the air as it penetrates to bomb virtual targets on land or returns to its base. He also completed his actual warfare-like mission such as a dogfight for tailing back while checking out the Korea-U.S. combined air forces’ aerial combat capability and tactics & techniques.

“I could reconfirm the firm will and ability that Korea and the U.S. have to maintain peace in the Korean Peninsula through today’s combined training. I am really proud and thank you for defending the skies of Korea. We have to make a sortie when the enemy provokes us and decisively punish its center and supporting power immediately. Think of every sortie as actual warfare and arm yourselves with a spirit of ‘one shot, one head’,” said the chief of staff to his combat pilots.

Meanwhile, this Max Thunder training, a benchmarking of Red Flag of the U.S. Air Force, is regularly conducted to improve Korea-U.S. Air Forces’ combined operational capability twice a year.

The combined training conducted to prepare to the F-15K Red Flag in 2008 was the foundation of Max Thunder, and it officially started in 2009, led by Korea in the first half of the year and the U.S. in the second half.

By Seung-Bok, Lee < yhs920@dema.mil.kr >
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