US-based artillery unit comes to South Korea for firing drill

The United States military on Thursday deployed an artillery unit to South Korea and conducted a live-fire exercise, showcasing the ability to rapidly deploy its units in the event of contingency on the Korean Peninsula.

According to the 8th Army in Seoul, its components and the US-based 18th Field Artillery Brigade conducted the joint training in Daecheon, South Chungcheong Province. The artillery brigade departed on Wednesday from its base in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Titled as “Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise,” the drill was aimed to showcase the US ability to deploy its unit to the peninsula “with little or no notice” and integrate with local units to execute the mission, said the 8th Army. 

“This exercise shows the 8th Army’s ability to integrate joint capabilities with stateside units to any location on the Korean peninsula in support of the (Republic of Korea) and the US Alliance,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Vandal, 8th Army Commander.

Deployed without any notice to its unit members, the artillery brigade fired off long-range precision munitions toward Jik-do Island off the west coast of South Korea. The allies’ military officials took precautionary measures to protect local citizens, the 8th Army said.

One of the assets involved were High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, a truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher capable of firing six rockets simultaneously and a ground-to-ground missile such as Tactical Missile System.

(jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)