ROK And U.S. Air Forces Conduct First Ssangmae (Buddy Squadron) Exercise Of The Year Through The 13th

Annual Number of Exercises Adjusted from Eight to Four

South Korean and U.S. air forces conducted a battalion-level combined aerial exercise, Ssangmae training, at Wonju Air Base in January last year. From the left: two South Korean FA-50s, two U.S. A-10s, and two South Korean KA-1s. Photo by Yonhap News

The ROK and U.S. air forces are conducting the battalion-level combined aerial exercise Ssangmae (Buddy Squadron), in which the two sides’ fighter jets take turns training at each other’s air bases on the Korean Peninsula. This is also the first iteration of the exercise this year.

The ROK Air Force announced on the 9th that it is conducting this exercise so that ROK and U.S. pilots can master the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures and enhance their combined operational capabilities. The exercise is being held at Osan Air Base over five days, from today through the 13th.

The Ssangmae exercise began in 1991 under the name “Friendship Training,” but it has been called “Ssangmae Training” since 1997.

According to the military, this year’s Ssangmae exercise will more than double the participating forces for each training iteration and significantly increase the number of sorties, while reducing the annual number of exercise iterations from eight to four.

The first exercise of the year includes KF-16s from the ROK Air Force’s 121st and 111th Squadrons and F-16s from the U.S. Air Force’s 35th Fighter Squadron. ROK Air Force F-35As and FA-50s are also participating for integrated 4th and 5th generation fighter operations training.

ROK Air Force pilots who completed their deployment to Osan Air Base on the 9th are receiving training on Osan’s local procedures, as well as safety and security education. Afterward, together with U.S. pilots, they plan to conduct air-to-air tactics sharing and integrated 4th and 5th generation fighter operations training. The exercise applies realistic scenarios that incorporate lessons learned from modern warfare.

The Air Force stated that the ROK and U.S. sides will enhance their combined operational capabilities through various types of tactical training, including alternately assuming the roles of friendly forces (Blue Team) and enemy forces (Red Team), and forming combined ROK-U.S. formations.

Captain Lee Seunghyun (28), a KF-16 pilot participating in the exercise, said, “This will serve as an opportunity for ROK and U.S. pilots to share the latest tactics, fly together, and strengthen interoperability.”