An American aircraft carrier is leading an exercise with two allies in waters near the Korean Peninsula as Russia strengthens its military cooperation with North Korea.
The United States “flattop,” USS George Washington, is taking part in the three-day exercise, dubbed Freedom Edge, which began on Wednesday in waters south of the South Korean island of Jeju. The George Washington is one of 11 aircraft carriers in service with the U.S. Navy.
It is the second iteration of Freedom Edge, a trilateral multi-domain exercise involving the U.S., Japan and South Korea inaugurated in June in accordance with an agreement made by the leaders of the three countries in August 2023. Both Seoul and Tokyo are security treaty allies of Washington.
South Korean media said the latest iteration of Freedom Edge aimed to showcase the three countries’ capabilities against threats posed by North Korea, which has deepened its alignment with Russia by sending over 10,000 soldiers to join the war against Ukraine.
The U.S. military said the Freedom Edge exercise series demonstrated what it called the “defensive posture” and “unbreakable will” of Japan, South Korea and the U.S. to protect peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula.
This week’s exercise features multiple ships and aircraft, including U.S. and South Korean F-35 fighter jets. The U.S. military said with the integration of this advanced type of combat aircraft, the exercise highlights “state-of-the-art” air defense capabilities.
The incorporation of the F-35 into training exercises involving the U.S., Japan and South Korea “ensures that their combined military and self-defense forces can operate together at the highest level against any threat,” according to the U.S. military. The three countries are among the 19 worldwide operators of the F-35.
The trilateral war games focus on a number of areas, including air and ballistic missile defense. The allied nations strongly condemned provocative acts by North Korea such as the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, the South Korean military said.
On October 31, North Korea test-launched its newest and largest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-19, claiming it is the most powerful strategic missile in the world. It is estimated that the nuclear-capable missile has the ability to strike the U.S. mainland.
On November 3, an American B-1B bomber flew from the U.S. mainland to airspace near Jeju, where it trained with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.
North Korea has long described war games led by the U.S. as rehearsals for an invasion.
Following the inaugural Freedom Edge, Pyongyang said the exercise was a “strategic design” by the U.S. to exert pressure on Russia’s Far East and lay siege to China. It denounced the “reckless and provocative” exercise and warned of fatal consequences.
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