On December 20, 2022, the Republic of Korea Air Force and the United States Air Force conducted a combined Air Force exercise, when U.S. strategic bombers (B-52H) were deployed to the Korean Peninsula. U.S. F-22 fighter jets and ROK F-35 and F-15K fighter jets took part in the exercise that took place in the southwest near Jeju Island and in the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).

The F-22s, which are stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, also deployed to Kunsan Air Base to train alongside their ROK and U.S. counterparts.

The combined Air Force exercise, planned through close consultation between the ROK and the U.S. military authorities, contribute to improving interoperability between the ROK and the U.S., and strengthened their combined operation capability by allowing ROK-U.S. fighter jets to familiarize themselves with procedures of escorting aircraft when those assets of U.S. extended deterrence are deployed to the Korean Peninsula.

The deployment of U.S. strategic bombers (B-52H) and F-22 fighter jets are part of the measures to further implement U.S. extended deterrence in accordance with the agreement between Minister Lee and Secretary Austin during the 54^th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) on November 3, 2022, when the two leaders agreed “to employ U.S. strategic assets in a timely and coordinated manner with increased frequency and intensity.”

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