Ministry of National Defense Republic of Korea

The UFS-TIGER exercise involved joint live-fire drills by South Korea and the US to eliminate the enemy

The 15th Infantry Division’s Lightning Brigade, in collaboration with the US 2nd Infantry Division and South Korea-US Combined Division’s Stryker Brigade, conducted a four-week joint exercise to enhance full-scale war capability

P1) On August 16, K1 tanks of the Lightning Brigade of the 15th Infantry Division fire bombs during a South Korea-US joint live-fire exercise held at the Mugeonri military training field in Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do.

P2) Upon the completion of the exercise, South Korea and US soldiers join hands, demonstrating the solid ROK-US alliance.

P3) Troops of the Commando Regiment of Army II Corps descend from helicopters and look at the surroundings.

P4) A US forward soldier checks the impact points of a towed howitzer.

P5) The AT-1K Raybolt (Hyeongung) Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) is fired at a target.

P6) South Korean and US soldiers pose for a picture while shouting.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) 2023 exercise has commenced. As the enemy escalates various forms of provocations, it underscores the need for alertness. Soldiers from both South Korea and the US understand the significance of the exercise and are participating with dedication. This commitment was evident in the joint live-fire drills conducted by the South Korean 15th Infantry Division’s Lightning Brigade, the US 2nd Infantry Division, and the South Korea-US Combined Division’s Stryker Brigade Artillery Battalion.

Written by Bae Ji-yeol / Photo by Lee Gyeong-won

Combined artillery firing intensively to reduce the target zone to ashes

At dawn on August 16, an unexpected alarm rang on my mobile phone at Mugeonri military training field in Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do. It was a text message from the Gyeonggi-do provincial government, informing a heatwave alert with the temperature rising to 33°C today. But the hot weather was not an issue for South Korean and US soldiers who started to work early in the morning.

The Lightning Brigade of the 15th Infantry Division conducted South Korea-US joint live-fire exercise along with the Artillery Battalion of the Stryker Brigade of the US 2nd Infantry Division and South Korea-US Combined Division. For the exercise, more than 600 soldiers from South Korea and the US, US M777A2 towed howitzers and South Korean Army 105 ㎜ wheeled self-propelled artillery were mobilized.

The Army has named this UFS exercise the “UFS-TIGER exercise,” drawing inspiration from its representative image, "Army TIGER.” This follows the naming of the first half's exercise as “UFS-TIGER.” The exercise aims to maximize the interoperability between South Korean and US infantry brigades by integrating operational elements.

It focused on operating offensive combat power with a wartime operational plan. South Korean and US soldiers arrived at the training field on August 13 and safely completed preparations for the exercise.

The exercise began when an unusual maneuver by the enemy was detected by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The combined military immediately initiated a joint operation. US towed howitzers and South Korean Army’s 105 ㎜ wheeled self-propelled artillery fired continuously, creating a thunderous roar. The shells, released on command, precisely struck their intended target. South Korea and US ground observer teams, stationed some distance away, watched the target area and applauded as each bomb hit its mark.

Platoon leader First Lieutenant Rivai Crowell said, “Performing a combined operation at a platoon level shows the strong solidarity of South Korea and US soldiers, and it was a good experience for me to watch South Korean troops prepare for the exercise while I was working with them.”

Capturing the enemy's fortress with the ceaseless injection of combat power

Air infiltration followed. Commando regiment troops aboard KUH-1 Surion helicopters of the Army II Corps Aviation Group were ready for air infiltration of the enemy.

Helicopters arrived at target positions in the air, hovered, and commando regiment soldiers swiftly descended on ropes. In the sky, a Boeing AH-64 Apache covered the soldiers.

While soldiers maneuvered toward the enemy’s deep area, they hit an obstacle. An M9 Armored Combat Earthmover (M9ACE) removed the obstacle and the CBRN battalion masked the movement of the troops using a smoke screen vehicle. K200A1 armored personnel carriers occupied major positions and let soldiers off.

With nothing to fear, soldiers started a counterattack operation. K1 tanks demonstrated firing at stationary and mobile positions, and AT-1K Raybolt ATGM hit the enemy tanks as if it is attached to a magnet.

At last, South Korean soldiers captured the enemy position and notified a victory by flying a national flag. From air assault to overcoming of an obstacle zone and the passage of lines using maneuver assets and capturing of targets, the operation proceeded with pinpoint accuracy.

Battery Commander Captain Yoon Tae-yong said, “It is an honor for me to participate in this combined exercise on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US Alliance. With realistic training, we cultivated interoperability to win victory under any circumstances.”

Safety assessment as well as perfect preparations for a month

The South Korean and US soldiers who finished training shook hands and hugged each other. The exercise came to a close and they shouted, “We go together” holding flags with US towed howitzers and South Korean Army wheeled self-propelled howitzers at their back.

Lightning Brigade Commander Colonel Lee Jeong-hun and Artillery Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Eric Yorgensen, who supervised the exercise, exchanged souvenirs as a mark of friendship built over three days. Each unit presented soldiers with certificates of commendation and letters of appreciation with their names to remember the blood comradeship.

Before the exercise, the Lightening Brigade carried out an intensive tactical field exercise for four weeks to enhance full-scale war capability. In the first week, small-unit combat skill training including two-way company-level training was conducted to master combat performance methods. In the second week, the solders learned procedures for defending key positions using individual and crew served weapons and integrated mortar firing. In the third week, they practiced a live integrated firing process, and in the fourth week they reviewed the entire process through tactical training in order to be prepared for the UFS-TIGER exercise.

Prior to the exercise, the Lightning Brigade passed a safety assessment organized by the Army Combat Readiness and Safety Office to ensure safe training. They also conducted risk perception training to prevent losses from non-combat accidents such as thermal injuries and falls. Thanks to these efforts, all processes were completed without a single safety incident.

Brigade Commander Lee said, “This exercise, aimed at practicing combat readiness, allowed us to acquire the capability to suppress, deal a fatal blow to, and destroy the enemy with overwhelming fire.”

By Chul-Hwan, Kim < droid001@dema.mil.kr >

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