An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | Dec. 4, 2017

Exercise Vigilant Ace 18 Kicks Off

By Staff Sgt. Alex Fox Echols III 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Osan is one of eight military stations across the Korean Peninsula launching exercise Vigilant Ace 18, an annual exercise geared toward enhancing interoperability between U.S. and ROK forces and ensuring local peace and security, Dec. 4-8.

During the week-long exercise, the U.S. and ROK are combining their forces with a total of 230 aircraft, training on mutual support procedures and further improving understanding and trust between the two nations.

"In the event we need to help defend our 51 million Korean allies, I need to be sure the 51st Fighter Wing is synchronized with the Combined-Joint force,” said Col. William D. Betts, 51st FW commander. “Vigilant Ace is an opportunity for us to do just that; focus on getting smarter, faster and more capable than we were yesterday while we generate combat airpower and strengthen the alliance."

U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy and ROK Air Force personnel at Kunsan, Osan, Jungwon, Gwangju, Wonju, Daegu, Seosan and Cheongju are testing their warfighter procedures, focusing on full-spectrum operations to deter, and if necessary defeat, a rapidly evolving threat.

As they would during a real world event, several units from across U.S. Pacific Command are bedding down at the participating bases to augment their current forces, ensuring training scenarios during VA18 are as true to life as possible.

"The threat here on the peninsula is very real, and countering that threat needs to be in the forefront of our minds,” said Betts. “My biggest expectation for the Wing is to remove any 'exercise' mindset from the equation and maximize the realism of every response. We will ensure we have no regrets if we find ourselves executing contingency operations."

In the air, U.S. F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-15 Eagles, F-18 Hornets and EA-18G Growlers are flying alongside ROK F-15K Slam Eagles and F-4 Phantom IIs, providing realistic air combat training and enhancing operational and tactical-level coordination through combined and joint combat training.

Though the name has changed, U.S. and ROK forces have been working together in this annual exercise for the last nine years, now as Vigilant Ace and before as Beverly Bulldog. It serves as one way the U.S. can reaffirm its commitment to stability in the Northeast Asia region and highlight its longstanding military partnership and enduring friendship with the ROK.
CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                      

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
USS Howard visits Otaru
SAGAMI WAN, Japan (Jan. 24, 2023) USS Howard (DDG 83) conducts small boat operations off the Japanese coast. Howard is assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 71/Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy's largest forward-deployed DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet's principal surface force. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Morgan Bollinger)
Feb. 7, 2025 - USS Howard (DDG 83), forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, as part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, arrived at Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan on February 7, 2025, for a scheduled port visit...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Call with Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin
Readout graphic
Feb. 7, 2025 - Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:...

USFJ Alliance Evolves: Multilateral Partnerships, training at core of C2 Modernization efforts
SASEBO, Japan (Nov. 6, 2018) - Assistant air officer Lt. Cmdr. Rich Mehlmann explains basic flight deck procedures to midshipmen and cadets from Republic of Korea Navy, Army and Air Force academies during a tour of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) at Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo. Wasp, flagship of Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, is forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan as part of the U.S. 7th Fleet.
Feb. 7, 2025 - The U.S.-Japan Alliance remains a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and the Alliance is now even more necessary amidst an increasingly severe security environment, according to government...

USINDOPACOM Commander addresses Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense
USINDOPACOM PRESS RELEASE GRAPHIC
Feb. 7, 2025 - Twenty-six Indo-Pacific nations participated in a virtual Chiefs of Defense forum hosted by Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on February 4, 2025...

Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Call With Indian Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh
Readout graphic
Feb. 6, 2025 - Department of Defense Spokesman John Ullyot provided the following readout:...