Responding to the North Korean missile launch on 14th September, United States Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft joined Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Republic of Korea Air Force aircraft in a show of force over the Korean Peninsula.
Once again, United States Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft joined Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Republic of Korea Air Force aircraft in a bilateral show of force over the Korean Peninsula on 17th September, in response to North Korea’s launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) over Japan three days earlier.
Two B-1B Lancer bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; four U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighters from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan; four Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) F-15K fighters; and four Koku Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) F-2 fighter jets were inolved in the mission.
During the mission, U.S. and ROKAF aircraft flew across the Korean Peninsula and practiced their attack capabilities by releasing live weapons at the Pilsung Range training area. The F-35Bs, B-1B bombers and Koku Jieitai fighters flew together over waters near Kyushu, Japan.
The operation came less than three weeks after a similar operation in response to a previous North Korean missile launch, on 28th August.