Overview

• The United States and South Korea conducted joint aerial drills on April 15, 2025, involving U.S. B-1B bombers and South Korean F-35A and F-16 fighter jets.
• The exercises were designed to demonstrate the allies' combined operational and deterrence capabilities in response to North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.
• This marks the second deployment of U.S. B-1B bombers for joint drills over the Korean Peninsula this year, following similar exercises in February.
• The drills coincided with North Korea's celebration of the 113th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, a significant national holiday known as the Day of the Sun.
• North Korea has a history of responding strongly to U.S. strategic deployments, with past reactions including missile tests and threats of countermeasures.