F-35 Pilot Becomes Top Marksman

Regular Major Selected as 'Top Gun'... First F-35A Pilot

An F-35A pilot has been selected for the first time as the 'Top Gun,' the title given to the Air Force's best aerial shooting marksman. The F-35A has participated experimentally in some events such as air-to-ground bombing and air-to-air shooting since 2021, but this is the first time it has competed in all events against other aircraft types and produced a Top Gun.

F-35A Pilot Major Jeong Si-hyung

The Air Force announced on the 26th that Major Jeong Si-hyeong (photo), an F-35A pilot, achieved the highest score in the aerial shooting competition held from August to October. He scored 1180 out of a possible 1200 points.

Major Jeong served as an F-15K pilot at the 11th Fighter Wing for six years starting in 2015, then transitioned to the F-35A in 2020 and is currently assigned to the 151st Fighter Squadron of the 17th Fighter Wing.

He is a veteran pilot with a total of 1,373 flight hours, including 331 hours on his primary aircraft, the F-35A. In 2018, flying the F-15K, he participated in the 'Red Flag Alaska' training, a nonstop Pacific crossing with aerial refueling from the U.S., and this year, he conducted joint air training with the U.S. F-22 using the F-35A.

Major Jeong said, "Thanks to the senior and junior pilots who carry out missions together and the maintenance and armament personnel who work tirelessly day and night, I have earned this highest honor. I will continue to devote myself to training and research to strike the enemy with a single decisive blow." Major Jeong received the Top Gun commemorative plaque from Air Force Chief of Staff General Lee Young-su and will later receive the Presidential Award.

The 151st Fighter Squadron of the 17th Fighter Wing, selected as the overall best unit in the aerial shooting competition, along with the 162nd Fighter Squadron of the 19th Fighter Wing (F-16) and the 101st Fighter Squadron of the 10th Fighter Wing (F-5), will also receive the Presidential Award.

Six pilots?Captain Ji Hyung-min (F-15K), Captain Bae Jun-yeon (KF-16), Captain Kim Gyu-cheol (FA-50), Captain Kim Shin-gyu (F-16), Captain Ha Seung-tae (F-5), and Captain Moon Seung-hyun (KA-1)?demonstrated the highest skills in their respective aircraft and will receive the Minister of National Defense Award.

Major Song Min of the 15th Special Mission Wing was selected as the best pilot in the air drop category, Captain Ha Dae-gwon of the 6th Search and Rescue Wing in the search and rescue category, and Captain Kim Jeong-ryeol of the 39th Reconnaissance Wing in the aerial reconnaissance category, all receiving the Minister of National Defense Award. The Shin Young-kyun Special Award, honoring the late actor Shin Young-kyun who starred in the film 'Red Scarf,' was awarded to Captain Jo Jeong-ik of the 18th Fighter Wing.