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A KF-16 fighter jet (left) from the Republic of Korea Air Force's 38th Fighter Group and an F-16 fighter jet (right) from the U.S. Air Force's 8th Fighter Wing taxi for takeoff during the large-scale combined air exercise Freedom Flag 25-2 on Nov. 3 last year. / Courtesy of the Republic of Korea Air Force

The South Korean and U.S. air forces will conduct the Freedom Flag 26-2 exercise over a two-week period starting Oct. 26 at Kunsan Air Base.

During the exercise, the two air forces will operate mission planning cells (MPCs) for daytime and nighttime operations. South Korean and U.S. personnel will exchange the latest tactics and expertise through these planning cells and further develop wartime operational and mission execution procedures.

The exercise will involve combined air assets, including the South Korean Air Force's F-5E/F, F-15K, KF-16, FA-50, F-35A, KC-330, C-130J, E-737, HH-47 and HH-60 aircraft; the U.S. Air Force's F-16, RC-135 and KC-135; the U.S. Navy's MH-60S; and the U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B and MQ-9.

South Korean and U.S. air assets will conduct missions including defensive counter-air (DCA), airborne alert air interdiction (XINT) and air interdiction (AI) to strengthen interoperability and enhance their ability to carry out combined wartime missions. The two sides will also assess their ability to conduct integrated operations involving fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets in response to changes in the modern warfare environment. In addition, they will plan and conduct South Korean-led combined exercises in preparation for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON).

Freedom Flag is a large-scale combined air exercise conducted twice a year, in the first and second halves of the year, by the South Korean and U.S. air forces. It aims to improve the two countries' combined operational capabilities and survivability. The name combines "Freedom," symbolizing liberal democracy, and "Flag," a term widely used for combined air exercises, to convey the commitment to safeguarding freedom and peace through a strong combined defense posture.

Col. Lee Seung-hwan, head of the Operations and Training Division at the ROK Air Force Operations Command, said, "Through this exercise, we will strengthen our combined defense posture by sharing strategies and expertise suited to the modern battlefield environment through intensive, realistic training. In particular, we will use it as an opportunity to strengthen teamwork among South Korean and U.S. pilots and hone their combat skills, while enhancing our capabilities in preparation for the transfer of wartime operational control."

                                                                                                              Lee Han-sol