US Aircraft Carrier Participation... Maritime Missile Defense and Other Drills
Responding to North Korea-Russia Military Closeness... Showcasing South Korea-US-Japan Cooperation
South Korea, the United States, and Japan will conduct 'Freedom Edge' for three days starting from the 27th in the southern international waters of Jeju. This is the first trilateral multi-domain joint exercise among the three countries. It is interpreted as a demonstration of security cooperation and commitment among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan amid North Korea and Russia's continued "dangerous closeness."
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this exercise was realized following the agreement to conduct multi-domain exercises at the trilateral summit held at Camp David, USA, in August last year. Earlier this month, the defense ministers of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan agreed on the plan to conduct Freedom Edge during a trilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.
From the bottom, our Navy's Aegis destroyer Ryu Seong-ryong, the US Navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer Ariake. [Photo by Navy]
Freedom Edge is a regular exercise conducted across multiple domains including maritime, underwater, air, and cyber. The name combines the U.S.-South Korea joint exercise 'Freedom Shield' and the U.S.-Japan joint exercise 'Keen Edge.' It signifies advancing military cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance and the U.S.-Japan alliance. A Joint Chiefs of Staff official explained, "Freedom Edge is an exercise that embodies the will of South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to enhance interoperability among the three countries and to protect freedom for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula."
South Korea, the U.S., and Japan plan to conduct exercises in maritime missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, air defense, search and rescue, maritime interdiction, and cyber defense.
The exercise will involve U.S. naval forces including the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which docked at the Busan operational base last weekend, Aegis destroyers (USS Halsey and USS Inoue), maritime patrol aircraft (P-8), carrier-based aircraft (F/A-18), early warning aircraft (E-2D), and helicopters (MH-60). The South Korean Navy will participate with Aegis destroyer (ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong), destroyer (ROKS Gang Gam-chan), maritime patrol aircraft (P-3), maritime operational helicopters (Lynx), and fighter jets (KF-16). The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will participate with destroyer (JS Ise), Aegis destroyer (JS Atago), and maritime patrol aircraft (P-1).
Until now, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have conducted one-time trilateral military exercises at sea or in the air, such as search and rescue drills, missile warning exercises, and strategic bomber escort drills, but this is the first regular multi-domain exercise.
A Joint Chiefs of Staff official stated, "South Korea, the U.S., and Japan have decided to continuously expand the Freedom Edge exercises starting with this one."
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