SEOUL, South Korea, June 5, (AP): The United States flew a long-range B-1B bomber over the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday for its first precision-guided bombing drill with South Korea in seven years, the South's military said.
The drill - seen as a show of force against North Korea - comes as tensions are rising over the North's recent launches of rubbish-carrying balloons toward South Korea and other provocations.
Wednesday's training involved other advanced US and South Korean fighter jets as well as the B-1B aircraft, the second US bomber temporarily deployed over the Korean Peninsula this year. The exercise was meant to demonstrate the US security commitment to South Korea and strengthen the allies' joint defense posture, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.
During the training, the B-1B dropped Joint Direct Attack Munitions while being escorted by South Korean jets, the first such bombing drill for a US bomber since 2017, a ministry statement said.
It said South Korean fighter jets also conducted live-firing exercises to demonstrate the country's readiness to punish North Korea if provoked, it said.
JDAM bombs include "bunker-busters.” JDAM is a guidance system that converts unguided, conventional bombs into more precise, GPS-guided weapons. All US fighter jets, bombers and drones can use JDAMs, and the munitions are among the weapons systems the United States has been providing to Ukraine to help it fight Russia's invasion.
North Korea is extremely sensitive to drills using bunker-buster bombs, which could threaten its leadership and complex web of underground military tunnels and structures.