From Today, Trilateral Military Exercises of South Korea, the United States, and Japan Begin

US Aircraft Carrier Participates in Three-Day Multi-Domain Exercises Including Air Defense and Cyber Defense Training in International Waters South of Jeju

A trilateral joint exercise involving the United States aircraft carrier is underway among South Korea, the United States, and Japan. This is the second multi-domain trilateral exercise conducted this year, following the first one held in June.

Yonhap News

On the 13th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that from the 13th to the 15th, the three countries will conduct the ‘Freedom Edge’ multi-domain exercise in the international waters south of Jeju.

The exercise name, Freedom Edge, is derived from combining the names of the South Korea-U.S. joint Freedom Shield and the U.S.-Japan joint Keen Edge exercises. The Freedom Edge exercise is a defensive training aimed at enhancing interoperability among the three countries and demonstrating their commitment to safeguarding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula. The first exercise took place in late June in the international waters south of Jeju. The second exercise was additionally conducted in July as part of the implementation of agreements made among the defense ministers of the three countries.

Recently, during high-level consultations, the three countries strongly condemned North Korea’s provocations, including the test launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-19, which threaten peace and stability in the region including the Korean Peninsula. This exercise reflects their determination to deter and respond to such threats.

The exercise involves the participation of △ South Korea’s Seoe Ryu Seong-ryong (DDG), Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin (DDH), maritime patrol aircraft P-3, fighter jets F-35A, F-15K △ United States’ aircraft carrier George Washington (CVN), Higgins (DDG), McCampbell (DDG), carrier-based aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft P-8, fighter jets F-35A △ Japan’s Haguro (DDG), maritime patrol aircraft P-3, fighter jets F-15J, F-2.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the ‘Freedom Edge’ exercise will include multi-domain training such as air exercises involving fifth-generation fighter jets, maritime missile defense drills, anti-submarine warfare training, counter-piracy operations, air defense exercises, and cyber defense training.