American, British and South Korean air force fighter pilots are wrapping up the 10-day Invincible Shield exercise on the Korean Peninsula Thursday, a show of force in the face of continuing North Korean provocations.
The combined interoperability exercise represents the largest deployment of United Kingdom Royal Air Force personnel and aircraft to Korea since the end of the Korean War more than 60 years ago, according to an Air Force release.
RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FRG4s are flying alongside U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, and ROK air force F-15K Slam Eagles in multiple sorties out of Osan Air Base.
"I expect Invincible Shield, our first ROK–U.S.–United Kingdom combined-air exercise, to not only enhance the combined air operations capability to protect peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, but also greatly contribute to the improvement of military operation with the Royal Air Force," said Lt. Gen. Won, In-Choul, the head of ROK air force operations command, in the release.
U.S. airmen shared information and skills with their counterparts.
"Working shoulder-to-shoulder, we are showing a unified front to those who would wish to do us harm," said Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, 7th Air Force commander, in the release.
On Monday the Yonhap news agency reported that South Korea's military was on high alert, believing North Korea might fire an intermediate-range ballistic missile Tuesday during the U.S. presidential election, signaling that the country had no intention of giving up their give up its nuclear and missile development programs. That test firing had not materialized as of press time.
