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US Air Force presents F-22 Raptors
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The 7th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Jun Ji-hye
By Jun Ji-hye
The United States is excited about the this year’s air show and defense exhibition which starts here today because the U.S. Air Force is able to bring a lot more capability and platforms than it had been able to bring in past years, said the 7th Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy.
During an exclusive interview with The Korea Times that took place at the Osan Air Base Thursday, the commander said the South Korean people will have the whole spectrum of what platforms the U.S. Air Force has that will be operating in any kind of crisis or conflict on the Korean Peninsula.
“We’re going to have not only F-16s and A-10s, which are stationed here, we’re going to have the U-2, which is also stationed here,” he said, referring to the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2015 (Seoul ADEX 2015) that will be open for six day at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
“The aircraft will make a fly-by, which will be a great opportunity,” he said.
The commander highlighted the participation of F-22 Raptor stealth fighters in the ADEX, noting that their participation will deliver a message to North Korea that Washington is committed to the defense of the Republic of Korea.
“We are also bringing F-22s and will have a demo you will be able to watch at the show. It’s unlike any other aircraft in the way that it can perform,” he said. “We’re bringing the best fighter, the best capability that we have to the Republic of Korea, not only for the air show, but more importantly, this is an airplane that will be available to us in a crisis. We are going to show civilians the combat capabilities we will have here.”
On Monday, the F-22 Raptor demonstration team showcased its maneuvers including a Hoover Pitch and Pedal Turn for about 15 minutes. It was the first time that a stealth fighter demonstration has taken place in Korea.
F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet
The C-17 will also fly a demo. “It’s a large, transport aircraft, but the demo is actually exciting to watch,” the commander said.
The KC-135 refueling plane as well as the command and control aircraft E-3 will also participate in the ADEX this year, he added.
The commander stressed that more U.S. aircraft are coming to the show this year than ever before.
“This year, we have the opportunity to bring what we always wanted to bring in the past. I think it’s going to be a fantastic show,” he said.
Washington always wanted to bring as many things as it could to the show in South Korea, but it has been hindered in the past based on financial challenges, he said.
The Global Hawk, very-high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle, was also among the candidates to participate in the ADEX, but the U.S. made the decision not to bring it, considering the operational requirements it has all over the globe, he said.
“We knew from the start that the Global Hawk could be difficult to get here… but we wanted to plan for it in case we had an opportunity, but as it turns out we were not able to bring it,” the commander said, noting that Washington had to consider that bringing it for the air show could lead to not being able to use it for actual operational capability.
An official from Global Hawk maker Northrop Grumman said that its mock-up is to be shown during the event as in 2013.
The event this year, which began in 1996, includes indoor exhibits, demonstration flights and an outdoor exhibition of aircraft and ground equipment.
The nation’s domestically developed K-2 tanks and K-9 self-propelled howitzers, as well as the KT-1 and T-50 trainer aircraft will also be on display.
The 7th Air Force commands and controls all of the airmen that are stationed in South Korea under the United States Forces Korea (USFK).
About 10,000 U.S. airmen are stationed on the peninsula, predominantly in Osan in Gyeonggi Province as well as in Gunsan in North Jeolla Province, which are the two major operating bases.
Lt. Gen. O’Shaughnessy has been the commander of the 7th Air Force for about 10 months. He also assumes the post of the USFK deputy commander.
“It’s been an absolutely fascinating 10 months. It’s such an honor and privilege to be able to serve here, and it’s always an honor to serve in command, especially with our great airmen that we have here in Korea,” he said. “Our mission is to deter, defend and defeat. We are here for one reason only, and that is to help provide for the defense of the Republic of Korea and stability for the region.
“The thing I find that I am really cherishing is the opportunity to serve with our ROK Air Force partners who are incredible airmen and fine leaders.”
He also mentioned the events run by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs that invite Korean War veterans to the country they fought for, explaining that he has participated in a couple of the Veteran events as the deputy USFK commander.
“To see that pride and the proud faces of these veterans that come back to Korea, many who haven’t been here since the Korean War, and to see them bring their families, the pride they have in some small way helping Korea become what it is today, which is an incredibly great nation that is an economic powerhouse, one that is positively influencing the rest of the world, for the veterans to look back at the time when they were here, maybe a crossroads for this nation, and seeing the Republic of Korea honoring them, has made it a wonderful time for me to be here, if only to play a small part in those events,” he said.
Last but not least, the commander said he fully understands that sometimes when U.S. airmen train here it is an inconvenience to South Korean civilians.
“Please know the reason we train is so that we can protect the people of the Republic of Korea,” he said. “So while it might be an inconvenience at the time when we make all that noise with our aircraft, please realize that when you hear that noise, think that that’s our American and ROK Air Forces training so they will be able to protect us.”
The commander stressed that he wants to make the training as realistic as possible so that if and when the U.S. and ROK airmen are called to fight, combat operations will be as close as they can be to the training operations they practice every day.
He added that the 7th Air Force airmen love the graciousness of the Korean people.
“Many of these airmen are away from their families and a long way from home,” he said. “The appreciation of the Korean people for what they are doing is very evident and we very much appreciate that.”
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