US Air Force starts to relocate more F-16 jets to Osan base for 'Super Squadron' test

This photo shows the U.S. Air Force's F-16 fighter jets under training at and Air Base in Osan, Gyeonggi Province, June 18. Courtesy of Republic of Korea Air Force

The 7th Air Force has begun to relocate more F-16 fighter jets to Osan Air Base as part of its "Super Squadron" formation test aimed at enhancing combat effectiveness, the U.S. Air Force unit stationed in Korea said Thursday.

The relocation marked the first batch among 31 F-16 fighter jets and 1,000 Air Force troops scheduled to be temporarily reassigned to the air base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul, from Kunsan Air Base for the second phase of the Super Squadron test, the unit said in a release.

The first phase of the test involved relocating nine F-16s and some 150 airmen at Kunsan Air Base to Osan in last October.

The latest relocation comes ahead of the second stage of the test that is expected to begin in October and last until October next year.