South Korea Trains to Strike First: Air Force Unleashes New Kill-Chain Tactics Amid North Korean Threats

Amid North Korea’s stated nuclear missile threats, the South Korean military is highlighting its air power and Kill-Chain capabilities.

In particular, the Air Force plans to independently conduct practical combat training through emergency targeting procedures, which involve detecting and analyzing signs of provocations for preemptive strikes.

On Monday, the Air Force announced, “The second session of the 2024 Soaring Eagle training will be held from today through Friday at Cheongju Air Base.”

The Soaring Eagle training is a large-scale aerial comprehensive exercise conducted solely by the South Korean Air Force. It has been held twice a year since 2008 to enhance tactical capabilities across various aircraft types and improve the combat skills of mission personnel.

This year’s training involves over 60 aircraft, including the F-35A, F-15K, (K)F-16, FA-50, and F-5 fighter jets, the KA-1 aerial control and attack aircraft, the E-737 airborne early warning and control aircraft, and the KC-330 multipurpose aerial refueling tanker. Approximately 190 personnel are also participating.

The Air Force emphasized that its units will be divided into friendly (Blue Air) and adversarial (Red Air) forces to create a realistic training environment.

Simulating North Korean localized provocations and full-scale war scenarios, the training will include Defensive Counter Air (DCA), Air Interdiction (AI), and X-Interdiction (X-INT) missions, conducted both day and night.

In particular, the training focuses on eliminating threats by striking the source of attacks in advance, identifying missile launch attempts, and responding immediately, aiming to strengthen Kill-Chain capabilities.

Kill-Chain, part of the three-axis system alongside the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) and Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) systems, refers to the capability to detect and eliminate signs of provocations in advance.

With North Korea diversifying its nuclear missile launch sites, using mobile launchers (TEL), trains, reservoirs, and even golf courses, the need to enhance Kill-Chain capabilities with reconnaissance satellites is becoming increasingly critical.

As part of the X-Interdiction training, the Air Force stated that it would immediately identify and respond to North Korean missile launch attempts. “If TEL is identified through Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, nearby friendly forces will strike and eliminate it.”

The Air Force stated, “The newly established Space Operations Squadron, created in June, will participate in the emergency air interdiction training to master the emergency target processing procedures using national reconnaissance satellites. Multipurpose practical satellites will monitor and photograph enemy threat signs, and the Space Operations Squadron will analyze the images to determine which targets require a response. Accordingly, friendly airborne forces will carry out their missions.”

This marks the first time the emergency target processing procedure has been implemented in the South Korean Air Force’s solo training. Although related exercises were conducted during the joint large-scale air training Freedom Flag, the Air Force clarified that this is the first time it will be implemented in Soaring Eagle.

The Air Force also plans to conduct training on Hybrid Warfare in collaboration with the United States. Given the emergence of non-military means in cyber, electromagnetic, and space domains, as highlighted by the Russia-Ukraine war, this initiative aims to explore relevant response measures.

The Air Force reported, “Mission personnel will receive training from U.S. experts on Hybrid Warfare procedures after deploying to Cheongju Air Base. Based on the training content, we will analyze enemy threats and discuss response measures while considering Hybrid Warfare support elements during the mission planning stage.”

Major Jeong Seong Woo of the 191st Squadron, 29th Tactical Development Training Squadron, stated, “As enemy provocations and threats become increasingly sophisticated, this training will showcase the Air Force’s robust response capabilities to deter enemy provocations. The Air Force will continue realistic combat training to ensure our airspace is never violated and maintain a perfect defense posture.”