Agile combat operations and response to North Korean nuclear strikes are among the highlights of the Ulchi Freedom Shield 24 exercise

Ulchi Freedom Shield 24 will involve 200 aircraft, including South Korean F-15Ks, FA-50s and KF-16s, as well as U.S. F-16s and A-10s, which are expected to fly more than 2,000 sorties around the clock.

This year's edition of the South Korea-US joint annual exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield, which began on August 19, 2024, features many firsts. Among the most notable is the first-ever rehearsal of the response to a North Korean nuclear strike against South Korea.

An interesting feature is the conduct of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) missions by the US Air Force's 8th and 51st Fighter Wings and ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force) units. According to South Korean reports, the air combat component will also conduct the largest number of missions ever planned, reportedly 2,000, on a 24/7 basis.

More than 200 South Korean and American aircraft will participate. The U.S. 8th Fighter Wing based at Kunsan Air Base and the 51st FW at Osan Air Base announced their participation in the exercise, saying they had integrated the recurring squadron readiness exercises into Ulchi Freedom Shield 24. The ROKAF will reportedly participate with the 11th, 16th and 20th Fighter Wings equipped with F-15K, FA-50 and KF-16 jets.

Other objectives include countering North Korean missile and cyber threats in 40 different field exercises that will last through August 29. The exercises will also include unspecified components of computer-based simulations.

The Chosun Daily Newspaper mentioned that “this year's exercise includes, for the first time, government training to respond to a hypothetical North Korean nuclear attack.” The report further added that “the primary focus of this year's exercise is to learn specific response measures in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack.”

The South Korean and U.S. air forces will conduct “120 hours of continuous day and night operations for five days” for multi-domain missions, according to an automated translation of a video posted by Yu Yungwon TVThe aircraft will practice both defensive air defense missions and air interception missions with virtually simulated targets such as cruise missiles and high-speed aircraft.

About 19,000 South Korean military personnel will take part in the drills, which will take place in parallel with civil defense and evacuation exercises. The exercise will “reflect realistic threats in all areas,” South Korea's General Staff was quoted as saying by DW.

The United States has about 28,500 troops stationed in the Republic of Korea. The UFS 24 exercise also comes after the United States and its allies, including the Republic of Korea, Japan and Australia, completed the annual Pacific Dragon 24 exercises, which included the firing of standard ship-launched missiles.

8th Fighter Squadron

The 8th FW, also known as the “Wolf Pack” and equipped with the F-16CM Block 40, said integration into UFS 24 has begun. It will conduct local flight and Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operations at forward locations to improve interoperability with forward-deployed partners in realistic combat scenarios. “These scenarios directly support the exercise's focus on conducting multi-domain operations utilizing component assets and emphasize countering weapons of mass destruction,” the release added.

“It is imperative to connect the wolfpack with the operational command level,” said 8th Squadron Brigade Commander Colonel Peter Kasarkis. “These connections do not happen automatically and must be rehearsed. Exercises like Ulchi Freedom Shield provide us with the opportunity to continuously improve.”

In addition, the Wolfpack “tests the operational readiness of its squadron, including its ability to support trailing forces and defend the base against regional threats.” The commander added, “Participation in these exercises strengthens the force's combat readiness and makes it better equipped to face any challenge in the Indo-Pacific region.”

The 8th FW had also announced its ACE exercises during Beverly Pack 24-1, May 7-9, 2024, where “67 Airmen deployed to Gwangju Air Base” to “operate in undisclosed locations at a moment's notice.” The press release further stated that “the exercise tested the squadron's aircraft recovery, refueling and launch capabilities while increasing Airmen's knowledge and skills to effectively produce air power in the Indo-Pacific region.”

ACE essentially means operating from remote locations, from airfields with minimal support and technical infrastructure, to spread out from the larger bases that are likely to be subjected to sudden enemy missile fire. An extension of ACE is Dynamic Force Employment, where bombers or fighter aircraft move troops rapidly and have the ability to operate and execute their mission shortly after reaching the operational area.

51st Fighter Squadron

The 51st FW at Osan Air Base, meanwhile, is beginning its recurring squadron readiness exercises in UFS 24 for the first time in recent history. Similar to the 8th FW, the 51st FW will conduct local flying and ACE operations to not only improve local squadron readiness, but also support U.S. 7th Air Force and Korean Forces leadership training efforts.

The wing, Seventh Air Force and U.S. Forces Korea will “participate in contingency exercises, training mobilization and force deployment capabilities while rehearsing the protection and sustainment of base operations,” the release said. The culmination, however, will be the mobilization and deployment of aircraft and personnel “from a cooperating base in the Republic of Korea, further enhancing the wing's ability to conduct the mission in an unfamiliar environment at any time.”

Korean reports

Yu Yongwon TV footage has since been released of ROKAF F-15Ks, FA-50s and KF-16s being maintained by ground crews and taking off on day and night missions. The video states that the ROKAF and USAF will “fly 120 hours of continuous day and night missions for 5 days to strengthen operational capabilities in war,” with a total of “2,000 sorties, the largest sorties ever.” Interestingly, there was no mention of the participation of the ROKAF F-35.

The 200 aircraft participating include F-15Ks, FA-50s and KF-16s from the South Korean Air Force's 11th, 16th and 20th Fighter Squadrons, the F-16s and A-10s from the 51st Fighter Squadron and the F-16s from the U.S. Air Force's 8th Fighter Squadron. “This is the first time that multiple squadrons from the South Korean and U.S. Air Forces have conducted 24-hour live flight training for multi-domain missions simultaneously,” the reports said.





The missions conducted to ensure there are no gaps in air defense day or night include missions such as Defensive Counter Air (DCA), Air Interdiction (AI) and Airborne Alert Interdiction (X-INT). “This training is characterized by maximizing responsiveness. When an aircraft conducting Defensive Counter Air training receives a command that resembles a real-world situation, it will immediately switch to combat surveillance and execute it,” the report said.

This indicates a redistribution of tasks during flights, with combat aircraft switching from one type of mission to another. “Virtual enemy formations will be used to simulate high-speed aircraft infiltration and cruise missile launches,” the report said, adding that training for “air units supporting air operations” will include “mass assembly of ammunition, maximum armament, and emergency return and departure.”

Parth Satam's career spans a decade and a half between two daily newspapers and two defence policy publications. He believes that war, as a human activity, has causes and consequences that go far beyond the question of which missile and which aircraft flies the fastest. As such, he enjoys analysing military affairs at their intersection with foreign policy, economics, technology, society and history. His work spans the entire spectrum from defence aviation, tactics, military doctrine and theory, personnel issues, West Asian and Eurasian affairs to the energy sector and space.