Massive Air Drill with U.S. ‘Death Swan’ After North Korea’s ICBM Launch—Here’s What Happened

On Sunday afternoon, a formation of fighter jets soared in a V shape over the eastern waters of Jeju Island. The U.S. B-1B Lancer, nicknamed the Death Swan, led the pack. Following closely were fighter jets from South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, each sporting distinct camouflage patterns.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that they executed a combined air exercise involving South Korea, the U.S., and Japan on this day. This unscheduled drill was rapidly organized in response to North Korea’s provocative test launch of its new Hwasong-19 ICBM on October 31.

The exercise took place in the overlapping airspace of the Korea-Japan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) east of Jeju. Participating aircraft included the B-1B, South Korean Air Force’s F-15K and KF-16, U.S. Air Force F-16s, and Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force F-2.

According to the JCS, the B-1B, escorted by the trilateral fighter formation, proceeded to the designated training area and successfully engaged a simulated target rapidly and accurately.

The B-1B Lancer, a supersonic strategic bomber, boasts a top speed of Mach 1.25 (approximately 953 mph) and an impressive range of 12,000 kilometers (7,456 miles). It can deploy from Guam to the Korean Peninsula in just two hours. While not nuclear-capable, it can carry up to 75,000 pounds of munitions, surpassing the payload capacities of other U.S. strategic bombers like the B-2 Spirit (50,000 lb) and B-52 Stratofortress (70,000 lb). The B-1B is one of America’s three premier strategic bombers, alongside the B-52 and B-2. It’s often cited as a primary U.S. strategic asset for rapid deployment to the Korean Peninsula in case of significant North Korean provocations. The U.S. military regularly rotates B-1B squadrons to Guam as part of its Bomber Task Force (BTF) missions in the Indo-Pacific region.

The JCS noted that this marks the fourth participation of U.S. strategic bombers in Korean Peninsula exercises this year and the second trilateral air exercise with South Korea and Japan.

The Sunday trilateral air exercise featuring the B-1B aimed to send a clear warning to North Korea following its Hwasong-19 ICBM test launch. The JCS stated, “This exercise is a direct response to North Korea’s long-range ballistic missile launch on October 31. It demonstrates the U.S.-South Korea alliance’s integrated deterrence capabilities and the strong commitment to security cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan in the face of North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.”

“Moving forward, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will continue to strengthen collaboration, gradually expanding security cooperation among the three nations to effectively deter and collectively respond to North Korean threats,” they added.