▲ A U.S. Air Force avionics technician completes function checks from the cockpit of an F-16 fighter jet at Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, 176 kilometers south of Seoul, on Jan. 28, 2025, in this photo provided by the U.S. Air Force. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

US Air Force-drill

U.S. Air Force unit in S. Korea conducts readiness drills despite heavy snow

SEOUL, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Air Force personnel stationed in South Korea took part in air base drills last week to strengthen their readiness despite heavy snowfall that blanketed much of the country, the U.S. 51st Fighter Wing said Monday.

The six-day Beverly Herd exercise wrapped up Friday as snow heavily impacted many parts of the country over the Lunar New Year holiday period, according to the unit based at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, 60 kilometers south of Seoul.

During the exercise, base personnel trained in weapons handling, small unit tactics and rapidly launching combat aircraft. The unit also executed a combat aircraft deployment in support of the drills, sending F-16 fighter jets to operate out of Kunsan Air Base.

Due to the heavy snow, unit personnel worked 24-hour operations to keep the airfield open to support both exercise and real-world operations, it said. Osan Air Base received a total of 23 centimeters of snow over the period, while Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, 176 km south of Seoul, recorded about 13 cm.

"The whole point of exercises like this is to prepare our airmen to generate combat airpower under any conditions, including when under attack, snowed in by weather, or both," Col. William McKibban, 51st Fighter Wing commander, said in a release.

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