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| Lt. Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, left, commander of U.S. Seventh Air Force and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea, announces a joint statement with ROK Air Force Operations Command Commander Lt. Gen. Lee Wang-keon in front of an F-22 Raptor stealth fighter at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Four F-22s performed a flyover to demonstrate the power of the Seoul-Washington alliance. O'Shaughnessy said the U.S. maintains an ironclad commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea. / Joint press corps |
4 F-22 Raptor stealth fighters dispatched here
By Jun Ji-hye
Joint military drills by South Korea and the United States are becoming more offensive-oriented, shifting the focus toward infiltration and preemptive strikes away from defense against North Korean attacks.
The changing objective of the joint exercises reflects worries that North Korea will never give up its nuclear ambitions. Recently, the allies displayed their strike power in response to the North's fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6 and launch of a long-range rocket on Feb. 7.
On Wednesday, four F-22 Raptor stealth fighters performed a flyover at Osan Air Base, 55 kilometers south of Seoul, becoming the third U.S. strategic asset dispatched to the Korean Peninsula since January.
The allies are planning to apply their new joint wartime operational plan, dubbed Operation Plan (OPLAN) 5015, which reportedly includes a contingency for preemptive strikes against the North's key facilities, during the annual war game Key Resolve and the field training drill Foal Eagle, military sources said.
The annual drills are scheduled to begin on March 7 and will run until April 30.
The two nations signed off on OPLAN 5015 last June to replace OPLAN 5027 that was more oriented around defending the South.
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During the drills, Washington will also exercise a prompt dispatch of its overseas armed forces, comprised of a variety of elements including the Air Force and Navy, to the peninsula, according to officials.
The naval forces of the two countries are also planning to hold the annual Ssang Yong (double dragon) amphibious landing training for marines and navy personnel early next month on a larger scale than usual.
More than 7,000 American marines and sailors and some 3,000 South Korean soldiers are expected to participate in the drill. Only 1,000 South Korean troops were in the drill last year.
"More U.S. vessels including amphibious assault ships are joining the exercise this year," said a Navy official on the condition of anonymity, Wednesday.
As well, core strategic assets of the U.S. armed forces capable of decimating the North have been dispatched to the peninsula, since Pyongyang's nuclear test last month.
Of the four F-22 Raptor fighters that flew over Korea Wednesday, two will stay at Osan Air Base "for a while," defense officials said, refusing to elaborate further on their future operations.
"This mission demonstrates the strength of the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea, and the resolve of both nations to maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula," said Lt. Gen. Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy, commander of the U.S. Seventh Air Force and deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK).
"The F-22 Raptor is the most capable air superiority fighter in the world, and it represents one of many capabilities available for the defense of this great nation. The U.S. maintains an ironclad commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea."
On Jan. 10, the U.S. Air Force sent a B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber that also performed a flyover at Osan Air Base. More recently, the U.S. Navy dispatched its nuclear submarine the USS North Carolina for a three-day joint exercise held in the East Sea from Saturday to Monday.
The three weapons are all arms of offense ― the F-22 is capable of infiltrating enemy airspace to drop nuclear bombs, while the nuclear submarine, which can operate at high speeds for long periods of time, can carry Tomahawk cruise missiles and Mark 48 torpedoes. The B-52 is also capable of launching nuclear-armed cruise missiles.
According to the USFK, U.S. Special Forces have been also conducting a joint drill with Seoul's Special Warfare Command here. The special troops belong to the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 1st Special Forces Group, key elements of Washington's special ground operations.
The 75th Ranger Regiment is one of the most elite units in the U.S., tasked with destroying key facilities as well as conducting air assaults and rescue operations. The regiment has participated in various operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 1st Special Forces Group, mainly operating in the Pacific region, has been carrying out anti-terrorism operations in Asia.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye
