South Korea, US Launch Major Amphibious Landing Exercise To Boost Combat Readiness

The Republic of Korea and the United States will commence a significant amphibious landing exercise in Pohang and along the eastern coast this week. This exercise aims to enhance the combat readiness and interoperability of the allied forces, according to Yonhap news agency.

This year's Ssangyong (double dragon) exercise, running from Monday through September 7, will involve division-level landing forces and approximately 40 vessels. These include two amphibious assault ships, the ROKS Dokdo and the ROKS Marado, as well as the USS Boxer, military officials stated.

The drills will also feature around 40 aircraft, including F-35B radar-evading jets, and about 40 amphibious assault vehicles. The Navy and Marine Corps highlighted these details in a joint release.

For the first time this year, a combined staff group from both countries' Marine Corps will jointly lead the landing exercise aboard the ROKS Marado. This new organisational structure aims to improve coordination during the drills.

Britain's Royal Marines Commandos will join the exercise for their second consecutive year. Their participation underscores the international collaboration involved in these drills.

A joint military command overseeing drone operations, established last September, will also participate in the Ssangyong exercise for the first time. They will conduct surveillance activities using drones during the drills.

Decisive Action Phase

The "decisive action" phase of the exercise is scheduled for early next month. This phase will showcase the participating troops, landing ships, fighters, and helicopters demonstrating their "overwhelming" capabilities for the landing operation.

The allies resumed the Ssangyong exercise in March 2023 after a five-year hiatus. The drills had been suspended since 2018 due to inter-Korean rapprochement efforts by the previous Moon Jae-in administration.

This large-scale military exercise highlights ongoing efforts to strengthen defence ties between South Korea and the United States while incorporating advanced technology and international cooperation.

With inputs from WAM