S.Korean Air Force stages live-fire drills against N.Korea cruise missile, artillery threats
The training took place over waters off the west coast, involving more than 10 fighter jets, in connection with the annual South Korea-US Freedom Shield exercise that began earlier this week, according to the Air Force.
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SEOUL: South Korean fighter jets staged a live-fire exercise on Thursday to bolster readiness against North Korean cruise missile and artillery threats, the Air Force said, in the wake of Pyongyang's continued saber-rattling.
The training took place over waters off the west coast, involving more than 10 fighter jets, in connection with the annual South Korea-US Freedom Shield exercise that began earlier this week, according to the Air Force.
During the air drills, KF-16 and FA-50 jets fired air-to-air missiles to shoot down two targets simulating enemy cruise missiles detected by air defence radar systems, Yonhap news agency reported.
The Air Force also mobilised FA-50 and F-5 aircraft to drop guided bombs to destroy simulated enemy long-range artillery, it said.
The exercise took place as North Korea has ratcheted up tensions with a series of military demonstrations, including artillery firing near the western sea border and a series of launches of what it claimed to be new missiles.