KEEPING PEACE in Korea By Amy McCullough, News Editor

USAF keeps its forces in Korea at maximum readiness to deter a belligerent and aggressive North.

USAF photo by SSgt. Nick Wilson Airmen perform prelight checks on an F-16 at Kunsan AB, South Korea, during Beverly Midnight 16-3, a readiness exercise to ensure security on the Korea peninsula.

34 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM n just a few short decades, South Despite the significant economic, tech- Although its aircraft are mostly hold- Korea, once one of the poorest coun- nological, and military progress, the Ko- overs from the Korean War, “they have tries in the world, has pulled itself rean War between the democratic south a lot of them and quantity is a quality out of poverty and transformed into and the unstable, dynastic communist all of its own,” said Col. Rob Bortree, an economic powerhouse. regime in North Korea never actually commander of the 607th Air Operations IOften called the “Miracle on the Han,” ended. For 63 years the Korean Peninsula Center at Osan. referring to the major river that runs has operated in a state of armistice—not The underground facilities create ad- through Seoul, South Korea now boasts the war, not peace. ditional problems because if a crisis were world’s 13th largest economy and is one to arise US and South Korean forces of the most wired countries on the planet. REAL, NEAR, PERSISTENT would first have to find the weapons and Of its roughly 51 million people, nearly The armistice helps maintain stability then figure out how to attack, Bortree half live in the greater Seoul metropolitan in the region, but North Korea is a very pointed out. area—a bustling, modern mega city that real, near, persistent, and lethal threat “The current assessment is [North is home to Samsung, one of the world’s capable of inflicting significant damage Korea] will attack with very little to no top smartphone producers. Four of the on the South and the surrounding region. notice,” he said. “They can’t sustain of- top five shipbuilding companies are based That’s why the motto, “Fight Tonight,” fensive maneuver and depth, so ... their in South Korea, and the country is the is ingrained in the US forces stationed initial plan is to get in and push us to the No. 1 producer of flat-screen televisions. there, from the lowest-ranking airman table to get concessions.” There are construction projects nearly to the Army four-star, Gen. Vincent K. The North’s 60,000- to 100,000-strong everywhere you look and small cities are Brooks, in charge of US Forces Korea. special operations force is often overshad- taking the place of farmland across the At Osan AB, South Korea, Lt. Gen. owed by its aggressive ballistic missile and country. Those who were stationed on the Thomas W. Bergeson, 7th Air Force com- nuclear development programs, but it is peninsula in the late 1990s to early 2000s mander and deputy commander of US “one of the largest SOF forces on record say it is virtually unrecognizable today. Forces Korea, said, “We send everybody and they have the ability to move them The Republic of Korea’s military ca- up to the DMZ [demilitarized zone between very quickly south,” said Bortree, who pabilities also have made impressive North and South Korea] because when you noted it “will be a significant challenge” strides. The ROK air force includes some can stand there and look face-to-face with if a crisis erupts. 65,000 airmen and 700 aircraft, and its somebody that’s on the other side it really North Korea has the world’s second larg- government continues to invest in modern brings it home to you.” He continued, est chemical weapons stockpile. Most of equipment with the purchase of F-35 strike “When you understand the vast array of the buildings at Osan have heavy duty blast fighters, Global Hawks, Patriot and mis- long-range artillery right along the DMZ, doors that when shut create an isolated and sile upgrades, as well as AH-64 Apache and the thousands and thousands of forces pressurized environment allowing airmen helicopters. that are right along there, you get the sense to continue to operate during an attack. that we’re at armistice and not at peace.” “Those aren’t just for show. They are North Korea has the fourth largest for a reason,” said Bortree. “One of our military in the world, with roughly 70 assumptions is that we will be fighting in percent forward deployed “fairly close” some type of chemical environment, in to the DMZ—located not even 50 miles addition to short notice and everything from Osan. Its artillery force is the larg- else. And then the nuclear capability is est in the world: 13,000 systems, pretty also out there as something else we have much all of them hidden within 11,000 to think about.” underground facilities. Capt. Kevin Liu, North Korea’s state-run media warned the deputy director of the commander’s of a more advanced type of nuclear test action group at Osan, said long-range last year as it was expanding its test site artillery is typically a tactical weapon, at Punggye-ri, located in the northeast. In but in South Korea it’s a strategic threat— January, the North claimed to have deto- especially the North’s 170 mm and 240 nated its first thermonuclear weapon. US mm multiple rocket launchers, posing a Forces Korea officials said the nuclear tests significant threat to Seoul. produce much lower yield than what the “If fired in volleys they would be able North actually claims, noting the January to strike Seoul and the surrounding area, test was either a “failed attempt or it was potentially causing mass civilian casual- only intended to be a boosting device.” ties, significant collateral damage, and Still, North Korea is the only country gross economic destruction,” said Liu. this century to test nuclear weapons and North Korea is believed to have 800 the tests are becoming alarmingly more theater ballistic missiles with a range of regular. capabilities and “enough plutonium for A few weeks after Air Force Magazine’s six to eight nuclear weapons,” according visit, some 25,000 US service members, to a 7th Air Force briefing. ROK forces, and participants from nine

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Above: Two A-10s and an F-16 (back) train near Osan AB, South Korea, in May. Above Because of the need to remain vigilant right: Capt. Edward Ellingson (l) explains US Patriot missiles to Korean air force ca- dents at Osan. US forces in Korea are almost always exercising. A typical year includes some nations gathered on the peninsula for the drawing strong rebuke from the United 30 exercises. start of Ulchi Freedom Guardian—one States and as well as other nations. Exercise Vigilant Ace, first conducted of the world’s largest military exercises. Since the Korean War no provocation in 2015, bridged the gap between strate- It is focused on defending the ROK. At has reached crisis level, but the US has a gic level exercises like Key Resolve and the time, North Korea threatened to turn detailed pre-positioned air tasking order Ulchi Freedom Guardian and the more the South into a “heap of ashes through a that maps out the first few days of conflict. tactical ones that lacked higher-level Korean-style pre-emptive nuclear strike” if It’s exercised regularly just in case. Ev- command and control. Vigilant Ace was US and Republic of Korea forces showed eryone stationed on the peninsula knows specifically designed to practice the US’ “the slightest sign of aggression” during the exactly what their piece of the puzzle ability to execute the pre-ATO, including annual military drill, reported NPR, citing would be if the plan is executed. quickly generating forces and accepting a state-run North Korean media outlet. “Seventh Air Force, when teamed with follow-on forces. Such amped up rhetoric has become a the Republic of Korea Air Force, is ready Unlike UFG, where the tactical piece regular occurrence during and just before to deliver precise, intense, and overwhelm- is computer-based, airmen fly 24 hours a large-force exercises on the peninsula and ing airpower,” said Liu. day during Vigilant Ace. military officials say they have gotten good Last year’s exercise included Total Force at keeping an eye on the real-world threat CONSTANT EXERCISES units from Japan and Guam in addition while conducting the necessary training. Though the airspace in South Korea is to the United States, added to more than However, 7th Air Force Vice Com- roughly the size of Indiana, the air cam- 20,000 US and ROK participants and over mander Brig. Gen. Kyle W. Robinson said paign in the early days of a second Korean 200 on-peninsula aircraft. The playing field even with daily airborne ISR missions and War would be the “largest in modern his- spanned eight bases in Korea and required intelligence briefs, it’s difficult to predict tory” and would include more than 2,000 the movement of some 1,000 personnel. when or how North Korea will act. sorties per day. That’s more than twice the “ROK and US and other component “Unless they come out and tell us, sorties flown on the first day of Operation assets integrate in a very realistic scenario the only thing we can really do is try to Desert Storm. in our training airspace to ensure that not understand or guess at this point,” said Accomplishing this plan would require only can we do the strategic to operational Robinson. forces already stationed on the peninsula, like we do in UFG, but we can also do the “We don’t think they’ve actually US forces from around the region, and operational command and control down achieved what they’ve planned. At the from the 17 sending nations, said officials. to those tactical wings,” said Col. Paul same time, they’ve shown slow but steady (Sending nations are 16 countries that Kirmis, vice commander of the 607th AOC. progress in increasing the yields of what joined the US in committing in 1953 to the Col. Todd A. Dozier, 8th Fighter Wing they’ve tested so far,” USFK officials told UN Command’s defense of South Korea.) commander at Kunsan AB, South Korea, Air Force Magazine in August. “They do “As a result, ‘Fight Tonight’ is unlike said the operational tempo is definitely have somewhat of a capability. It’s defi- in other places where you have time to a challenge, but it’s also an opportunity. nitely not as mature as most recognized build forces. … We have to be able to “Our mission remains deterrence. That’s nuclear weapon states, but it’s something start the war and then bring everything our No. 1 thing,” said Dozier. “That’s to take into account.” into position to execute, so this allows why we focus so much on being ready. On Sept. 9, the North conducted its us to be able to practice that full-scale Readiness is how deterrence is affected. fifth nuclear test, the second one this year, movement,” said Bortree. That happens regardless of world events.”

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North Korea has significantly ramped up its nuclear and ballistic missile testing over the last year. US officials in Korea say the biggest concern is that one of these provocations could quickly escalate. Here is a rundown of North Korea’s actions over the last year (as of Sept. 9).

Jan. 6—Conducts fourth nuclear test, claiming to have exploded its first thermonuclear weapon. US Forces Korea officials say they don’t believe the weapon was thermal. Feb. 6—North Korea claims it launched an Earth-observation satellite called Kwangmyongsong-4 (KMS-4) into orbit. US Strategic Command tracked two objects in space: the payload and the rocket body. US Forces Korea of- ficials say the move shows the North’s efforts to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile. March 9—North Korea publicizes a road-mobile ICBM and claims to have miniaturized nuclear warheads. US Army photo by SSgt. Heather A. Denby March 14—State-run media says the North has successfully simulated atmospheric re-entry of a ballistic missile. And there’s no doubt “events” on the April 15—STRATCOM tracks a failed North Korean missile launch. peninsula have ramped up in recent years. April 23—North Korean submarine launches a missile from the Sea of Japan. Despite a series of high-profile launch April 27-28—Two failed Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile failures, North Korea is aggressively launch attempts. developing a range of ballistic missiles, May 6-9—The 7th Congress of the ruling party of North Korea, convenes including everything from short-range —the first party congress in 36 years. to intercontinental ballistic missiles. Just May 31—Another failed Musudan IRBM ballistic missile launch attempt. June 21—Launches two presumed Musudan IRBMs from Wonsan into like it has with its nuclear program, North the Sea of Japan. USFK officials said up until this launch the Musudan was a Korea’s missile program has demonstrated “proven nonfunctional system,” and though it isn’t believed to have accomplished slow but steady progress. North Korea’s full intentions, it “reached a pretty good range” and altitude. Bortree said when he first arrived on July 8—A presumed KN-11 submarine-launched ballistic missile launches peninsula he was briefed to expect a couple off the coast of Sinpo into the Sea of Japan. of North Korean launches a year, but now July 18—Launches three missiles near Hwangju: two presumed back-to- that can happen in just one month and is back Scud tactical ballistic missiles, followed an hour later by the presumed often repeated the next month. launch of a Nodong IRBM. On Aug. 23, one day after Ulchi Free- Aug. 3—Simultaneously launches two presumed Nodong IRBMs near dom Guardian began, the North launched Hwangju. STRATCOM said one of the missiles exploded immediately after what US Strategic Command believes to launch, but the second flew over North Korea and landed in the Sea of Japan. Aug. 23—A presumed KN-11 SLBM launch occurs off the coast of Sinpo. be a KN-11 submarine-launched ballistic Sept. 4—STRATCOM detects and tracks three Nodong missile launches. missile off the coast of Sinpo. The missile Sept. 9—North Korea conducts its fifth nuclear test. was tracked some 300 miles, until it landed Sources: US Strategic Command and US Forces Korea in the Sea of Japan. The launch took place less than a month after North Korea simul- Patriots for medium-tier missile defense, interceptors, with a seeker in the warhead, taneously launched two presumed Nodong and the short-range air defense system at and are capable of hitting an incoming intermediate-range ballistic missiles—an the lower tier, said Bergeson. ballistic missile “nose-to-nose.” older missile typically considered to be a The US and ROK governments agreed “It’s pretty advanced technology. It’s “tried and true workhorse.” to deploy a THAAD battery to South Ko- like hitting a bullet with a bullet,” said “The submarine-launched ballistic mis- rea in July. The anti-missile system, to be Col. Mark Holler, 35th ADA commander. sile [was] considered by many to be a located in Seongju county in the country’s The brigade also has the Patriot Guid- laughable notion several years ago. … It south, is slated to arrive sometime in 2017. ance Enhanced Missile Tactical Ballistic seemed a little beyond their capabilities,” Bergeson said THAAD is a “purely Missile. GEM-T has a proximity-fused USFK officials toldAir Force Magazine. defensive capability that’s needed in light warhead interceptor that explodes when it “It’s still probably not a successful system, of the increased development of longer- gets close to an incoming ballistic missile, but again, they are putting a pretty good range ballistic missiles,” but there is still but does not directly strike it. amount of resources into it, especially some opposition from the local commu- Holler said the Army is getting ready relative to their economic capabilities.” nity, mostly regarding possible radiation to field a new type of interceptor to South To counter such advancements, the exposure from the system’s radars. Korea, known as the Missile Segment US relies on a multilayered air defense The US Army’s 35th Air Defense Enhancement, or MSE. “It’s essentially system that will soon include the US Artillery Brigade at Osan also directly a more capable PAC-3 interceptor with Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area De- supports 7th Air Force. The brigade has extended range and lethality,” said Holler. fense (THAAD) system at the upper tier, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 hit-to-kill “I would say that it’s likely in the very near

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016 H WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM 37 A North Korean soldier looks at Secretary The fact that “bad guy land” is roughly of Defense Ashton Carter through the win- dow of the Military Armistice Commission the distance from Colorado Springs, building in the demilitarized zone between Colo., to Denver, really drives home how North and South Korea. quickly things could escalate, said Capt. Adam Peterson, an A-10 pilot assigned nuclear test. Two B-1B Lancers deployed to the 51st FW. to Andersen, flanked by two ROK F-15K Congestion, proximity to the north, Slam Eagles from Daegu AB, South Ko- and Seoul’s booming real estate market rea, flew closer to the demilitarized zone drove a major infrastructure change that than any other B-1 in history. is finally nearing completion. “The nice thing is it’s not extremely A $10.7 billion construction project DOD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley J. Chad Class 1st Officer Petty by photo DOD provocative,” said Robinson, the 7th Air at Camp Humphreys is almost done and Force vice commander. “It shows what US Forces Korea officials expect the could happen,” but it’s not like the Air majority of US troops stationed at the Force is stationing the aircraft at Osan, Yongsan Garrison in downtown Seoul future that this brigade could actually which the North might see as a provoca- to move there next year. Yongsan is the have three types of interceptors ready tion by the US. longtime home to USFK headquarters, to fire.” If that happens, the 35th ADA but like the rest of the capital region, is would be the first in the Army to have JUST A REMINDER within easy striking distance of North all three capabilities, he added. “It’s a bit different,” Robinson con- Korean artillery. De-escalation, however, is a top priority tinued. North Korea “may not view it The local government wants to turn the and airborne ISR plays a key role. The the same way, but the reality is it came, garrison, on prime real estate in central four U-2s assigned to the 5th Recon- it did a low approach, and it [headed] Seoul, into public parkland. (The US will naissance Squadron at Osan fly eight- to back out so it was never stationed here. continue to maintain a small footprint 10-hour sorties several times a day. The It didn’t really change the status quo. It there.) The project is nearly 100 percent multi-intelligence platform carries a high- was simply a demonstration of resolve funded by the Republic of Korea and resolution imagery and signals payload, and then it left.” does not affect airmen stationed at Osan as well as defensive systems at all times, Almost exactly one month later four or Kunsan air bases. said Maj. Dane Collette, the squadron’s F-22s flanked once again by US F-16s Camp Humphreys, once a sleepy US director of operations. and South Korean F-15Ks executed base near the seaport city of Pyeongtaek, Unlike a satellite, the U-2 is a dynamic another display of force over South along the western coast of South Korea, is capability that can easily be redirected Korea in response to North Korean located about 40 miles south of Seoul and if a situation arises, providing the com- provocations. The Raptors, assigned some 12 miles south of Osan Air Base. mander more flexibility, he said. to JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Under the transformation the post will The Dragon Lady spyplanes provide had been conducting regular training nearly triple in size from about 10,000 “the best possible awareness” of North at Kadena AB, Japan, when they were people to about 36,000, including military Korean activities, helping US leaders redeployed to South Korea. members, their families, civilians, and decipher Kim Jong Un’s intentions and “The F-22 Raptor is the most capable ROK forces. providing warnings “when things may air superiority fighter in the world, and The massive construction project, go awry,” said Col. John Rice, 7th Air it represents one of many capabilities designed to accommodate the influx of Force director of ISR. available for the defense of this great na- personnel, will add an area roughly the Flexible deterrent options are another tion,” Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, size of the District of Columbia to the de-escalation tactic implemented this then 7th Air Force commander, told post, USFK officials said. year. reporters at the time. O’Shaughnessy is Even Osan and Humphreys are but a Days after North Korea’s fourth nuclear now commander of Pacific Air Forces. short missile or fighter flight from the test, a B-52 from Andersen AFB, Guam, Robinson said the F-22 flyover was North, however. “If you’re always wor- flew over South Korea at roughly 10,000 “similar but not as visible” as the B-52 ried about it, then you can’t train. Most feet in a very public demonstration that show of force a few weeks earlier, noting of us are fairly confident that the force was soon broadcast by news outlets that it was meant more for an “internal that’s here in the South is large enough around the world. The show of force by audience.” and trained well enough that it’s going the heavy bomber—escorted by a US Col. Andrew P. Hansen, commander to deter any North Korean aggression,” F-16 and a South Korean F-15K Slam of the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan, said said Capt. Zachary Krueger, another A-10 Eagle—was intended to demonstrate the pilots are regularly briefed on what pilot assigned to the 51st FW. United States’ unwavering commitment North Korea is doing. The F-16s and That doesn’t mean the threat isn’t to South Korea and to show North Korea A-10s assigned to the wing fly at a always on his mind. the US is watching and there could be higher rate than any other combat air “Every time you go up there to fly, it’s devastating consequences for its actions. force and Hansen said it’s important for possibly one of the last opportunities we’ll The US conducted a similar demonstra- them to understand the “why behind the have prior to wartime operations and I try tion of force in September after the fifth readiness levels.” to make it worth it,” Krueger said. J

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