Strategic Bombers Return to the Korean Peninsula [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Photo]

US Strategic Bombers Participate in South Korea-US-Japan Joint Military Exercises

The trilateral air exercise between South Korea, the United States, and Japan was conducted with the participation of the U.S. strategic bomber 'B-1B.' The exercise took place in the overlapping airspace of the Korea-Japan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) east of Jeju Island, involving B-1B along with South Korea Air Force's F-15K and KF-16, U.S. Air Force F-16, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force's F-2 fighters from the three countries.

The exercise proceeded with the B-1B escorted by the South Korea-U.S.-Japan fighters as it moved to the designated training airspace, where it swiftly and accurately struck simulated targets.

The B-1B is a supersonic strategic bomber capable of flying at a maximum speed of Mach 1.25 (1,530 km/h) and a range of up to 12,000 km. It can deploy from the U.S. military base in Guam to the Korean Peninsula within two hours. Although it does not carry nuclear weapons, it can be armed with up to 57 tons of munitions, which is significantly more than other U.S. strategic bombers such as the B-2 (22 tons) or B-52 (31 tons). This is the fourth deployment of a U.S. strategic bomber to the Korean Peninsula this year, and the second trilateral air exercise among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan this year.

The B-1B-participated trilateral air exercise was conducted as a warning message to North Korea in response to its recent test launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 'Hwaseong-19.'