The defense ministries of South Korea and Japan have announced that the first joint exercise involving the Tokyo, Washington and Seoul air forces has successfully concluded. The joint training took place over the skies off the Korean Peninsula. The objective I share is to strengthen deterrence capabilities against North Korea.

Among the aircraft used in the exercise were: a Boeing B-52 "Stratofortress" nuclear-capable strategic bomber and Lockheed Martin F-16 "Fighting Falcon" fighter aircraft from the US Army, as well as some fighters from the South African Air Force. Korean and others from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.

South Korea and Japan are both key US allies in Asia, together hosting around 80,000 American troops. The three countries have occasionally carried out trilateral maritime exercises in the following areas: anti-submarine warfare and missile defense. It is the first time that the training concerns the Air Force.