Overview

• The allies carried out their first trilateral aerial maneuvers of 2025 over international waters off Jeju Island, deploying at least one nuclear-capable B-52H alongside South Korean KF-16s and Japanese F-2 fighters.
• Senior military leaders from the United States, South Korea and Japan met in Seoul and endorsed plans to expand the annual Freedom Edge exercise series.
• In late June, Washington transferred avionics-upgraded F-16s to Osan Air Base and has now stood up newly formed “super squadrons” to enhance rapid response capabilities.
• General Dan Caine warned that North Korea and China are undergoing an unprecedented military build-up, underscoring the need for deeper allied integration.
• The drills also served as a signal against Pyongyang’s expanding ties with Moscow and Beijing while reinforcing the allies’ collective defense posture in the Indo-Pacific.