Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

Largest ever Korea-U.S. FE training

The Carl Vinson, a U.S. nuclear-propelled aircraft carrier,

enters Busan operations base on approximately March 15

U.S. F-35B fighter formation to be sent as well

U.S. nuclear-propelled aircraft carrier the Carl Vinson has come to Korea to participate in Korea-U.S. combined Foal Eagle training. The training is expected to take place on the largest scale ever, comparable to last year, in response to North Korea's 4th nuclear experiment and firing of a long-range missile.

On March 5, a military spokesperson said “This FE training, the Korea-U.S. combined Field Training Exercise (FTX), starts on March 1 and lasts until the end of next month, and KeyResolve (KR) training, a Command Post Exercise (CPX), is going to be held for 2 weeks, starting on the 13”.

Prior to this, the Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command announced on March 3, “Around 10,000 U.S. armed forces including approximately 3,600 reinforcements from overseas are to be sent for this year’s FE training. From our side, around 290,000 Korean armed forces will participate. The Carl Vinson will enter Busan on around March 15”.

It is said that U.S. strategic assets are to largely be sent in force for this FE training. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, the Carl Vinson, enters Busan operations base around March 15, while the U.S. Marine’s F-35B fighter formation is to be deployed in the Korean Peninsula in the middle of this month.

A ‘floating military base’, the Carl Vinson is the 3rd Nimitz-class aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy. Put into service in March of 1983, it has 100,000 tons of displacement, at 333 meters in length (load line) and 40.8 meters in width. With a flight deck 76.4 meters in length, its inside hangar can hold approximately 80 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter, E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, MH-60S Seahawk maritime operations helicopter, etc..

At the beginning of next month, a large-scale amphibious training of Korea-U.S. navies and marines will be held. It is said that the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard (LHD), the amphibious cargo ship Green Bay (LPD), the landing ship dock Ashland (LSD) and the multi-functional vertical takeoff and landing plane Osprey (MV-22), etc. will be sent for the training.

Following that, Korea-U.S. Marines maneuvers and actual shooting training will be held at Susong training sites in Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and in the middle of April, there will be ‘Max Thunder’ training conducted by Korea and the U.S. combined air forces.

By Byeong-No, Yun <trylover@dema.mil.kr >

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