U.K. to Send Eurofighters to S.Korea for Joint Exercise

U.K. to Send Eurofighters to S.Korea for Joint Exercise

November 01, 2016 12:57

The British Royal Air Force will send four Eurofighter Typhoons, a Voyager aerial refueling tanker and a C-17 Globemaster strategic transport aircraft as well as some 180 troops to South Korea on Friday.

They are participating in the first South Korea-U.S.-U.K. aerial exercise, dubbed "Invincible Shield" at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province that ends on Nov. 10.

The Typhoon, a leading multipurpose fighter jet in Europe, has a maximum speed of Mach 2 and is armed with precision-guided munitions, including long-range Taurus air-to-ground missiles.

The Air Forces of the three countries are planning to focus on practicing precision strikes on major military and leadership facilities and intercepting incoming aircraft.

On Oct. 22, the U.K. also conducted a joint exercise with Japan at Misawa Air Base in Aomori.

U.K. Ambassador to South Korea Charles Hay told reporters on Monday, "We are actively promoting closer [military] relations across the Asia-Pacific region including with... [South Korea]. The exercise will be aimed at enhancing interoperability between the three countries' Air Forces whilst deepening the U.K. and [South Korea's] partnership in security and defense."

Russia was alarmed at the new kid on the block. "It's uncertain what the British RAF is doing in Northeast Asia. And it's questionable why British RAF pilots should know about the terrain of the Korean Peninsula," a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Oct. 6.

North Korea protested on Oct. 14, saying it is clearly a hostile act for the U.K. to send fighter jets that encourage provocations by South Korea and the U.S.