At the beginning of this week, South Korea witnessed the arrival of several stealth fighter jets F-22 Raptor from the United States Air Force (USAF) for conducting joint exercises. According to information circulating in recent days, it is expected that the fifth-generation aircraft will participate in combined air exercises involving the F-35A jets of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF).
The F-22 Raptors arrived at Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, located 178 kilometers south of Seoul, corresponding to Expeditionary Combat Squadrons 19 and 199 based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The precise number of deployed aircraft was not disclosed, but images show at least four of them.
What’s interesting about this arrival is that it is the first time in seven months that the F-22 Raptors of the U.S. Air Force have publicly arrived in South Korea since October 2023, according to the local media Yonhap News Agency. Regarding the joint exercise, it is noted that the F-22s are likely to participate alongside South Korean Air Force F-35A fighters as part of a deployment comprising a total of 30 aircraft. Additionally, the activities will be directed by the Aerospace Operations Command, with the participation of the United States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.
Finally, there will be activities involving other anti-aircraft defense means, such as Patriot and Cheongung (KM SAM) missile defense batteries of the South Korean Armed Forces, along with the modern destroyer AEGIS ROKS Sejong, which will engage various types of aerial targets and simulated threats.
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