Pyeongtaek: The South Korean and U.S. air forces are set to commence a joint aerial exercise at Osan Air Base this week, aimed at strengthening their interoperability, according to South Korea's armed forces on Monday. The exercise, known as the Buddy Squadron, will run from Monday to Friday at the base located approximately 65 kilometers south of Seoul.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the exercise will feature South Korea's KF-16 fighter jets and the U.S. F-16 fighters, alongside the F-35A fighter jet and the FA-50 light attack fighter, for combined operations training. This year, the Air Force plans a significant increase in participating forces per session and a dramatic rise in sorties. However, the number of training sessions will be reduced from eight to four annually.

The Buddy Squadron exercise is a battalion-level drill conducted alternately by the South Korean and U.S. air forces. It focuses on sharing air-to-air tactics and conducting integrated tactical training involving fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets. An Air Force official clarified that the decision to halve the number of drills was made in consultation with the U.S., considering the decommissioning of U.S. A-10 aircraft last year and adjustments in military assets.

Lt. Col. Jang Dong-ha, during a regular press briefing, addressed concerns that the reduction in drills might signal a weakened security commitment from the U.S. to the Korean Peninsula. He emphasized that the number of participating aircraft has more than doubled compared to previous years, with a significant increase in sorties planned. The decommissioning of the U.S. A-10 aircraft in South Korea was part of a broader military modernization initiative to address evolving security threats.