ROKAF F-15 Scrambled against Russian IL-38 entering South Korea Air Space

Seoul formally protested joint naval drills by China and Russia in the East China Sea that intruded into Korea’s air defense identification zone (Kadiz).
According to the Korean Ministry of National Defense on Tuesday, the training area for the military exercises conducted by Beijing and Moscow partly overlapped with the Korean and Japanese ADIZs.
A no-fly zone declared by China for the joint maritime drill with Russia intruded 230 kilometers (142 miles) northward into the Kadiz and 172 kilometers eastward, according to a Korean military official.
Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said that in a response, Korea stepped up surveillance and reconnaissance activities in the part of its air defense zone area in which China and Russia were conducting military exercises.
At around 8:40 a.m. yesterday, two Russian IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft crossed in Korea’s air defense zone for less than an hour.
In response, Korea scrambled two Air Force F-15K fighter jets and transmitted a radio message warning the planes to retreat. The Russian planes retreated.
Russian aircraft have violated the Kadiz before, and defense officials here did not confirm if these aircraft were a part of the China-Russia naval drills.
koreajoongdaily

South Korea, US To Hold Largest-Ever Joint Air Drill

South Korea’s military said Thursday it would hold its largest-ever joint air drill with the United States as tensions mount over a series of threats from North Korea.
The twice-yearly Max Thunder exercise — to be held from Friday to April 25 — will be the largest-ever involving 103 aircraft and 1,400 troops.
Seoul’s F-15K jet fighters will take part along with US Air Force F-15 and F-16s and US Marines’ FA-18 and EA-18 aircraft.
The exercise will focus on “practical scenarios” involving precision attacks on enemies or supply drop missions for troops infiltrating enemy territory.
North Korea has slammed the drills as a rehearsal for invasion. In a pointed protest, Pyongyang has launched a series of rockets and missiles in recent weeks.
The two Koreas also traded fire across the tense Yellow Sea border on March 31, after the North dropped some 100 shells across the border during a live-fire drill, prompting the South to fire back.
The rare exchange of fire came a day after the North warned that it might carry out a “new” form of nuclear test — a possible reference to a uranium-based device or a miniaturized warhead small enough to fit on a ballistic missile.
South Korean President this week called for tighter vigilance against the North, days after its leader Kim Jong-Un warned of a “very grave situation” on the peninsula.
defensenews

South Korea dispatchs F-15K as North Korea fires artillerey across border

When North Korea conducted live-fire drills in the Yellow Sea Monday, firing some 100 shells across the Northern Limit Line, Seoul quickly dispatched an F-15K fighter jet carrying cutting-edge, air-to-surface missiles.
The so-called SLAM-ER missiles, have a range of 278 kilometers and their margin of shooting error is only about 2 meters.
The secret of its precision is a state-of-the-art guidance system that connects the missile, the pilot of the jet and the operation headquarters.
When the 4.5-meter-long missile approaches within a few kilometers of a target, a camera in its nose transmits an image of the target to the pilot or the headquarters so that they can guide the missile exactly.
If the SLAM-ER is fired from the air near the inter-Korean border, its range covers the entire territory of North Korea.
Its name is an acronym for Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response.
South Korea’s military did not strike North Korean artillery units immediately when shells reached Southern waters,because the shells from North Korea did not fall onto South Korean land.
Had the North’s shells landed on Baengnyeong Island, the forefront island of South Korea, the situation would have been totally different.
koreajoongangdaily

F-15Js and F-15Ks at RED FLAG-Alaska

Republic of Korea Air Force F-15K Slam Eagle and Japan Air Self Defense Force F-15 Eagle aircraft park prior to take off during RED FLAG-Alaska 13-3 Aug. 12, 2013, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
af.mil

South. Korean ROKAF fighter jets make nonstop flight to Alaska for drills

South Korean F-15K combat jets have flown nonstop to Alaska, using in-flight refueling to take part in an upcoming U.S.-led multinational exercise known as "Red Flag."
The flight to Alaska has become the first time for ROKAF fighter aircraft to fly non-stop by aerial refueling to participate in a joint drill overseas.
globalpost

F-15Ks to participate in Red Flag Alaska next August

South Korea’s F-15K will fly non-stop to Alaska next August for Red Flag exercise.

yonhapnews

South Korea claims JASSM cannot be installed on F-15K

South Korea’s plan to acquire the AGM-158 JASSM for its F-15K has hit a snag after officials claim that the missile cannot be fitted on the left side of the aircraft.

koreatimes