OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) will join with 7th Air Force and several other units between 31 October and 4 November, for Vigilant Storm, a training event that will enhance combat readiness and interoperability for all units involved.
Vigilant Storm was previously called the Combined Flying Training Event, or CFTE in recent years, and is an annual event that takes several months of planning and preparation with units throughout the Korean peninsula and beyond. This year’s event will strengthen the operational and tactical capabilities of combined air operations and enhance our strong combined defense posture.
Approximately 240 aircraft and thousands of service members from the ROK Air Force, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Army will participate in this training. Aircraft will fly from several ROKAF bases, as well as Osan and Kunsan Air Bases, and Camp Humphreys. The Royal Australian Air Force’s 33 Squadron will deploy a KC-30A air refueler to the Republic of Korea, to train with ROKAF and U.S. Air Force aircraft during the event.
ROK and U.S. Air Forces will work together with the joint services to perform major air missions such as close air support, defensive counter air, and emergency air operations 24 hours a day during the training period. Support forces on the ground will also train their base defense procedures and survivability in case of attack.
While the ROK and U.S. combined air force is performing approximately 1,600 sorties---the largest number ever for this annual event---the Korean Air Operations Center plans to operate and control the combined forces in real time and hone their wartime capabilities.
Through this training event, ROK and U.S. Air Forces will improve interoperability between the 5th generation and 4th generation jets. Both ROKAF and USAF will fly 4th-generation jets, and will train with ROKAF F-35A’s and the USMC’s F-35B’s, giving Airmen and Marines the cross-service, combined experience that is crucial to combat readiness.