Six KF-16 fighter jets of South Korea headed to the US state of Alaska on Thursday to take part in a multinational air combat training led by Pacific Air Forces.
The KF-16s took off at around 5:30 a.m., originally scheduled to arrive in Alaska about 10 hours later, according to South Korea's Air Force.
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South Korea`s KF-16 fighter jets prepare for takeoff to fly to Alaska to join the RED FLAG training on June 1, 2017, in this photo provided by the Air Force. (Yonhap) |
The flight distance to the Eielson Air Force Base, the venue for the annual RED FLAG-Alaska training, is some 7,700 kilometers.
It's slated to open on June 11 for a 11-day run.
But they made a stopover at the Yokota Air Force Base in Japan due to a change in scheduled aerial refueling, it said.
The KF-16s will resume their flight on Friday toward Alaska.
South Korea will also dispatch a C-130 cargo plane and more than 100 personnel to the series of drills on joint offensive, counter-air operation, interdiction and air support under a simulated combat environment.
