As a show of force against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, the United States sent a B-52 bomber to a joint exercise with its ally South Korea on Monday, according to South Korea’s defense ministry.
B-52 Bomber Large-Scale Drills
Bombers of the B-52 type are qualified to transport nuclear bombs. The aerial practice was conducted in preparation for the combined large-scale drills, which will begin later this month and include amphibious landings.
Because North Korea views these joint exercises as a dress rehearsal for an invasion, it has made repeated calls over the years for them to be canceled.
They have in the past drawn sharp reactions from Pyongyang, including missile tests and threats to use nuclear weapons.
On Sunday, North Korea’s foreign ministry demanded an immediate halt to combined military drills between the United States and South Korea, saying that the drills were raising tensions.
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North Korean Missile Tests
Due to the lack of progress in denuclearization negotiations, North Korea carried out an unprecedented number of missile tests in 2017. The allies are getting back to conducting large-scale drills now that South Korea has removed its anti-COVID sanctions.
This marks the first time that B-52 bombers have been sent to the Korean Peninsula in roughly three months since December of last year.
One of the most enduring US strategic bombers, the B-52, can carry up to 31 tons of explosives, including air-to-ground nuclear missiles with a 200-kilometer range. The bomber has a maximum range of over 6,400 kilometers.
The exercise occurs before the US-South Korea joint military exercise Freedom Shield, which is planned to take place from March 13 to 23. The B-52s are one of the three US bombers that can carry nuclear missiles currently in service, along with the B-1B and B-2.
The drills are meant to highlight the US-South Korean alliance’s strength, encourage readiness, and improve the capability to counter any possible threats.
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