[News Terms] US and French Air Forces Conduct Joint 'Elephant Walk' Exercise in Guam

'Elephant walk' refers to a training exercise in which at least dozens to hundreds of fighter (attack) aircraft equipped with maximum armament taxi on the runway in a dense formation just before takeoff. It is a practice for fighter (attack) aircraft fully armed to quickly sortie in preparation for all-out war or emergencies.

It was devised during World War II to enable multiple bombers to take off in a short time and maintain the same formation in the air. The term originated from the appearance of a formation of about 1,000 fighter (attack) aircraft moving like a herd of elephants, and it became an official term of the U.S. Air Force.

The U.S. Air Force conducted an "Elephant Walk" ground taxiing exercise in May at a domestic air force base, mobilizing dozens of fighter jets including the F-16 "Fighting Falcon."
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Fighter (attack) aircraft ready for takeoff taxi and take off consecutively at 30-second intervals, shortening takeoff time and improving operational capability in the air. Recently, it has also been used to demonstrate military power or send warnings to adversaries. The U.S. Air Force has released elephant walk footage to showcase its air superiority and deter military provocations by hostile countries, including North Korea.

China, which opposes U.S. hegemony, also occasionally reveals its latest fighter aircraft ground taxi training called 'Jamryongmanbo (潛龍慢步· the leisurely walk of a dragon underwater)' in response to elephant walk.

The French Air Force conducted an elephant walk training with the U.S. Air Force at Guam, a stopover on their way to Korea. On the 19th, the U.S. Air Force released photos of the elephant walk training conducted with allied forces including the French Air Force at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The photos showed about 20 aircraft deployed, including the U.S. Air Force’s latest stealth fighter F-35, the French fighter Rafale, and the U.S. strategic bomber B-52H.

Attention is also focused on whether this will be the first joint training between the South Korean and French Air Forces. The Ministry of National Defense stated, "French military aircraft are scheduled to stop in Korea from the 24th to the 26th, and the schedule is under discussion."