Global Times recently reported that the South Korean Ministry of Defense said six fifth-generation F-35A fighter jets from Elson Air Force Base in Alaska have been deployed to South Korea and are scheduled to conduct joint exercises with the South Korean Air Force. According to the report, this is the first time in five years that the U.S. Air Force F-35A stealth fighter has been deployed to the Korean peninsula . The South Korean Ministry of Defense claimed that the joint exercise was aimed at demonstrating the strong deterrence and joint defense posture of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, while improving the interoperability between the South Korean and the U.S. air forces. In December 2017, the U.S. military first publicly deployed F-35As to South Korea. In addition to the F-35A, the U.S. military also invested in the F-22 “Raptor” stealth fighter and B-1B strategic bomber at that time, and launched the “Vigilant ACE” Korea-US joint air exercise.
Source: Global Times, July 5, 2022
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