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US and South Korea Launch Freedom Flag Air Drills with Advanced Combat Training

The semiannual exercise, involving 1,100 personnel and 90 aircraft, introduces stealth fighters in enemy simulation roles for the first time.

This file photo, provided by the South Korean Air Force, shows South Korean and Australian pilots greeting each other as the latter's aerial tanker arrives at an air base in Gimhae, some 310 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to join Freedom Flag, a two-week South Korea-U.S. joint air force drill that began Oct. 21, 2024. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The Freedom Flag air drills began on April 17, 2025, and will run through May 2, marking the latest phase in US–South Korea military collaboration.
  • The exercise mobilizes 1,100 troops and 90 aircraft, including advanced assets like F-35A and F-35B stealth fighters, F-15Ks, KF-16s, and MQ-1 and MQ-9 drones.
  • For the first time, stealth fighters are being used in 'red air' roles to simulate enemy forces, enhancing the realism of combat training scenarios.
  • Training programs focus on key air operations such as air interdiction, defensive counter-air, combat search and rescue, and close air support.
  • Freedom Flag, launched in 2024, replaces earlier Korea Flying Training and Vigilant Defense drills, underscoring the allies' commitment to deterring North Korean threats.