F-35A and More: South Korean Air Force Engages in Intense Interdiction Drills

The Air Force announced on the 13th that it had X-Interdiction training as part of the Freedom of Shield (FS) training.

An interdiction operation is an air operation that delays or neutralizes the enemy’s military power before it can harm our forces.

The training, conducted under the supervision of the Air Combat Command, involved more than 20 combat planes and reconnaissance planes from seven flight units, including the 11th Combat Flight Wing and the 17th Combat Flight Wing, such as the F-35A, F-15K, and KF-16.

Through the training, the pilots improved their capabilities for the X-Interdiction mission by responding to various situations, such as fast penetration of enemy fighters, ground-to-air threats, and cruise missile launches. In addition, they enhanced their teamwork by closely coordinating with the Master Control And Reporting Center (MCRC).

Lieutenant Ji Kang Hyeon of the 110th Squadron of the 11th Combat Flight Wing said, “Air alert is tenser than ground standby,” and added, “We always have to be prepared for enemy ground-to-air and air-to-air threats, and we have to keep checking the fuel consumption situation.”