Seoul conducts joint air attack exercise with U.S.

South Korea and the United States carried out a joint air attack exercise on Tuesday as part of a series of drills intended to test their combat readiness to counter potential North Korean aggression.

The joint drill mobilized the South Korean Air Force's FA-50 light attack aircraft and the U.S. Marine Corps' FA-18C Hornet fighter jet, the Air Force here said in a statement.

The U.S. Marine Corps' Marine Aircraft Group 12 made a trial sortie from the base of the Air Force's 16th Fighter Wing located in Yecheon. The airbase located 254 kilometers southeast of Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province serves as the U.S. air group's forward operation base in the event of a war, the Air Force noted.

In the drill, the two sides also shared know-how on air operations and beefed up readiness to perform joint operations, official sources said.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Frederick Gallup, who flew the U.S. aircraft, said he expects more joint air exercises in the future that could enhance the combat capabilities of the two allies.

The air drill follows a series of joint military exercises between the allies, including the large-scale Key Resolve command point warfare exercise and the on-going Foal Eagle field exercise, designed to test the alliance's capability to confront and deter North Korea. (Yonhap)