KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea –
Kunsan Air Base hosted its first “cross-servicing” demonstration to showcase interoperability between U.S. Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force personnel on October 18, 2024.
The purpose of cross-servicing training is to equip the U.S. and ROK Air Forces with the capability to receive each services’ jets, service them, and send them back into the air, resulting in seamless integrated operations between partner nations.
Discussions between the ROKAF 38th Fighter Group and U.S. Air Force 8th Fighter Wing began in May 2024 regarding cross-over servicing for F-16 Fighting Falcons. The success of the program will be used as a blueprint for future, similar training events.
“Today’s event laid the basic foundation for future cross-servicing, including launch, recovery and refuel tasks,” explained U.S. Air Force Capt. Andrew Guise, 8th Fighter Wing maintenance operations flight commander. “Eventually, we want to get to where they can service our aircraft with more than just fuel but can load the aircraft as well.”
The five months of preparation for the event included identifying technical differences and coordinating aircraft availability while juggling real-world missions.
“In June 2024, we conducted a comparative analysis of technical documentation for [each services’ F-16 maintenance operations],” said U.S. Air Force Col. Peter E. Kasarskis, 8th Fighter Wing commander. “We identified differences in 13 categories and additional training was carried out under the supervision of managers to prevent safety accidents [during cross-servicing operations].”
This training event showcased strengthened defensive readiness in corroboration of the ROK-U.S. alliance, which is dedicated to protecting peninsular peace and stability from regional aggression. The 8th Fighter Wing is dedicated to protecting this alliance along with its values and citizens.