US Apache helicopters conduct live-fire drills in South Korea

Asia-Pacific, News, US July 27, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters conducted live-fire drills with rockets and guns in South Korea.

The military exercise was held for the first time since 2019, as both the U.S. and the Republic of Korea (ROK) increase joint military training exercises amid tension with North Korea.

Live-fire drills were held at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex south of the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the border with North Korea. The drills were held for the first time since 2019.

The ROK-U.S. 2nd Infantry Division posted on Twitter that “Crews are qualifying during both day and night on the AGM-114 Hellfire missile, Hydra 70 rocket, and 30mm canon.”

Videos and images released by the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division showed that AH-64E v6 Apache helicopters engaged in certification drills.

According to the South Korean Defense Ministry statement, the country would “strengthen special operations forces’ infiltration and strike capabilities and step up large-scale South Korea-US field training exercises to deal with North Korea’s escalating threats,” the Korean Herald reported.

South Korea also plans to increase the number of “land, sea and air-based high-powered, ultra-precise missiles that can target the entire North Korean region and further strengthen the penetration and strike capabilities of special operations forces,” the statement added.

*^{AH-64E v6 Apache Helicopter. (Image Credit: 2nd Infantry Division/Twitter)}*

The United States and South Korea also plan to conduct war games in late August and early September, which will include air, naval and ground personnel, and equipment.

In response to the ROK’s plan to increase joint military drills with the U.S., North Korea warned that both countries may face “an undesirable consequence” if they conduct exercises.

Since 2017, the U.S. and South Korea conducted scaled-down military drills to facilitate negotiations aimed at ending North Korean nuclear and missile programs in exchange for lifting sanctions. South Korea’s former President Moon Jae-in was also reluctant to resume joint drills with the United States. However, soon after taking office, President Yoon Suk-yeol announced that he would “normalize” joint drills and boost deterrence against the North. Yoon also vowed that South Korea will “continue to build fundamental and practical security capabilities and deter the North’s nuclear and missile threats.”

Last week on July 22, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said that North Korea is ready to conduct a nuclear test at any time it decides. “We believe that not only at the end of this month, but ever since my inauguration, it’s fully ready and able to do it whenever it decides,” Yoon emphasized.