US Forces in Korea to Get 20 Upgraded Jets From Alaska

Some 20 U.S. fighter jets equipped with the most up-to-date equipment and technology will replace a squadron of about 20 F-16 fighters in South Korea, the U.S. Air Force said Wednesday.

The new F-16s will arrive Wednesday through Friday at the U.S. air base in Gunsan, a port

city located some 270 kilometers south of Seoul in North Jeolla Province, from Alaska's Eielson Air Base, the U.S. military said in a press release.

"With this exchange of aircraft, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska will be receiving Gunsan's Block 30 F-16s...Gunsan, in turn, will receive Eielson's upgraded Common Configuration Implementation

Program block 40s to increase our combat capability and readiness," the statement said.

The block number generally refers to a specific model of an aircraft, with higher numbers representing latest models, according to an officials at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command.

"The swap is significant as it means the U.S. Forces Korea will receive newer, improved aircraft, but it also works for Alaska's air base as the outgoing aircraft are more suitable for missions required there," the official said.

The Gunsan Air Base, too, said the swap will bring Gunsan's fleet up to date with the latest F-16 upgrades while allowing Eielson "to quickly transition into their new aggressor mission."

Meanwhile, a group of six U.S. F-16s arrived Tuesday at the Gunsan air base as part of a four-month training program to test the readiness and combat capability of the U.S. forces. An additional team of some 14 F-16s will arrive in Gunsan late this week for the four-month exercise, according to the U.S. Air Force.

Some 28,000 U.S. forces are currently stationed in South Korea as a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War. Washington plans to reduce the number to about 25,000 by the end of the year as part of the

global repositioning of its troops.