L-3 Communications, Six Korean F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jets will participate in a joint combat training exercise in the United States next year, the Air Force said Tuesday Oct. 30.
“Six F-15Ks are scheduled to join the Red Flag exercise to be held in Nevada from Aug. 9 to 23 next year,” Lt. Col. Moon Chae-wook said.
It would be the first time for Korea to field its new fighter jets in drills involving the air forces of the U.S. and its allies.
In 2002, Korea signed a contract with Boeing Co. to purchase 40 F-15 jets. Twenty-seven of them have been delivered so far and the rest will arrive by next year.
“We are not sending F-15s deployed here to the Red Flag. Those to be assembled next year in the U.S. will participate in Red Flag and then they will be delivered to Korea,” Moon said. Korean pilots will go to the U.S. to fly the jets during the exercise.”
The Red Flag exercise began in 1975, aimed at sharpening aerial combat skills by providing realistic training in a combined air, ground and electronic threat environment. It is held four times a year at the vast bombing and gunnery ranges in Nevada.
Korea's Air Force took part in it from 1979 to 1992 using F-16 Fighting Falcons.
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