U.S., South Korea, Australian Air Forces Launch Joint Training Exercise

More than 130 fighter, cargo, tanker, and reconnaissance aircraft are participating in the 'Vigilant Defense 24' event.

Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at 11:55 AM ET

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80th Fighter Generation Squadron Airmen observe an F-16 Fighting Falcon while conducting preflight systems inspections on F-16 Fighting Falcons during ‘Vigilant Defense 24’ at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, on October 28. [Credit: U.S. Air Force/Staff Sergeant Samuel Earick]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S., Republic of Korea (ROK), and Australian air forces are conducting "Vigilant Defense 24," a large-scale combined annual flight training event in South Korea.
Involving over 130 military aircraft and more than 25 types of planes, the exercise aims to enhance joint interoperability, maintain combat readiness, and refine tactics among the allied forces through simulated 24-hour combat operations.
Despite expanded cooperation between North Korea and Russia, the U.S. Air Force emphasizes that the training is defensive, not provocative, and unrelated to any current real-world threats.

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U.S., Republic of Korea (ROK), and Australian air forces have launched a massive combined annual flight training event based in South Korea this week.

This year’s exercise, dubbed “Vigilant Defense 24,” involves more than 25 types of fighter, cargo, tanker, and reconnaissance aircraft as part of regularly scheduled training focused on joint interoperability among the Alliance, U.S. Air Force, and ROK Air Force. It is set to run through Friday.