Recently, it sent two U.S. B-1B bombers from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam to fly over the Osan base with a flight of four South Korean F-15K and four U.S. F-16 fighter jets.
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“The bond between the United States and the Republic of Korea is ironclad and the strength of that commitment will not be shaken by North Korea’s aggressive behavior”, said Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, 7th Air Force Commander.
The U.S. has pledged to deploy a THAAD anti-missile system by next spring, and is reportedly considering sending B-2 and B-52 bombers to the peninsula as well.
Originally developed for nuclear capacities, the bomber was converted to its exclusively conventional combat role in the mid-1990s.
US Forces Korea said in a statement the flight by the pair of strategic bombers was a show of force and of the US commitment to preserve the security of the peninsula and the region.
Pyongyang’s responses have not deterred the United States. “So I’m very concerned about that”, he said during his confirmation hearing at the Senate.
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The recent flyover comes amid growing tensions with North Korea, sparked by its latest underground nuclear test earlier this month, followed by its alleged successful test-run of a high-powered engine that experts say is designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile to target the USA mainland.
In July, South Korea and the United States announced that they had reached a deal on a new missile-defense system known as THAAD, following an increase in tests by the North. “UN Security Council resolutions must be observed”, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
Between the engine demonstration and nuclear tests, some experts say that a new set of provocations may be imminent.
The DPRK is expected here to launch a new long-range rocket at or around October 10 to mark the 71st anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea. The fifth nuclear test was staged just eight months after the fourth in January.
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USA bombers fly over South Korea for second time since North’s nuclear test Less than two weeks ago. But it said the North’s campaign to separate plutonium at the Yongbyon nuclear site may be finished. Critics, however, believe is a cover for a nuclear weapons program, the New York Times reported.
