The United States is poised to show off its military might this week through joint drills and a defense exhibition in South Korea, deploying an aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered submarine, stealth fighters and other strategic assets.
The show of force comes amid growing tensions on the peninsula, with North Korea expected to engage in additional provocations in protest against the South Korea-U.S. military drills.
Pyongyang has not launched any major provocation since it fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan on Sept. 15. But Seoul and Washington officials remain on alert amid signs of possible missile launches following its leader's recent warning of a more powerful action.
"In various locations in the North, TELs have repeatedly appeared and disappeared," a military official said on condition of anonymity. A TEL is a transporter erector launcher. "Based on this, we have judged that the North could launch a provocation at anytime, and we have remained on increased alert."
The allies' militaries are set to hold a joint exercise in the East and West Seas from Monday to Friday, during which the U.S. will deploy its nuclear-powered carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76).
It is one of America's key power projection means of countering military threats in a volatile region.
The 333-meter-long, 100,000-ton Nimitz-class flattop is stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the Seventh Fleet in charge of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The Reagan has a deck the size of three football fields, with some 70 aircraft on board, ranging from fighter jets to helicopters.
During the maritime drills, the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, the airborne battle management aircraft, is expected to be deployed. It is capable of monitoring North Korea's ground force movements and coastal artillery.
The Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN-727) has already arrived at the southern port of Busan as part of a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific, military officials said.
Reportedly armed with more than 150 Tomahawk tactical missiles with a range of around 2,000 km, the 18,000-ton Michigan is one of the largest submarines in the world. It's capable of precisely striking North Korea's core facilities in support of special operations forces missions.
Meanwhile, the biennial Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2017 is set to begin Tuesday at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul.
The U.S. military has said its contribution to the exhibition will include a B-1B Lancer strategic bomber, A-10 Thunderbolt II, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130J Hercules, KC-135 Stratotanker, E-3 Sentry, U-2 Dragon Lady, RQ-4 Global Hawk and F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets. Also in the line-up will be a F-35A Lightning II, U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon and U.S. Army CH-47F Chinook.
The dispatch of key assets in large numbers is rare, observers say, noting it is related to the heightened tensions on the peninsula.
"Though the U.S. weapons systems will be displayed unarmed," a defense official here said, declining to be named, "this shows America's resolve that they could be deployed anytime in case of a contingency on the peninsula." (Yonhap)