305th AMW KC-10 Aerial Refueling F-22 -
Aviation Photography Digest
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2017/11/23 23:23
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- The United States is planning
to send six F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets to a joint air force exercise in
South Korea next month in what is believed to be U.S. action to put maximum
pressure on North Korea, military officials here said on Thursday.
"Six F-22 fighters from the U.S. Air Force are
scheduled to join the joint South Korea-U.S. air force exercise Vigilant Ace
from Dec. 4-8," the officials said.
The fighters will fly to the Korean Peninsula from Kadena
Air Base in Okinawa, Japan and stay at an air base in South Korea throughout
the exercise, according to officials. Up to four F-35A Lightning stealth
fighters are also likely to join the deployment, they said.
The U.S. fleet will reportedly engage in enemy
infiltration and precision strike drills with South Korean Air Force fighter
jets during the exercise.
It would mark the first time the U.S. has deployed six
Raptors to Korea at once and is sure to put pressure on North Korea with the
overwhelming military force by the allies.
The Raptor, an air superiority fighter, is capable of
flying to key enemy facilities and launching precision attacks under the radar.
Its maximum speed is about Mach 2.5
The planned deployment comes as the U.S. steps up the
deployment of strategic assets to South Korea in a show of force aimed at
pressuring North Korea to the maximum level. Early this month, three U.S.
nuclear-powered aircraft carriers were deployed to the East Sea after powerful
American fighter jets flew near North Korea in the previous months.
South Korea and the U.S. are escalating pressure, both
economic and military, on North Korea in efforts to bring the country back to
the table to negotiate its illegal development of nuclear weapons.
The move is also sure to lead to an angry reaction from North
Korea and threats to retaliate as similar operations have done in the past.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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Original post: yonhapnews.co.kr
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