U.S. MILITARY TO START FIVE-DAY EXERCISES, WITH F-35s
The State of Hawaii has released a series of video messages letting Hawaiian citizens know that they may hear the air raid siren that has not been used much since World War II. The siren will be tested on Dec. 1, and the state is warning the public about what to do in the event of a nuclear attack from North Korea.
Japan, too, is on guard, with news reports that movement in North Korea indicates another missile is about to be launched. U.S. intelligence indicates the test site Punggye-ri is damaged by repeated underground nuclear tests. If the North Korea regime uses above-ground testing, it could appear as an imminent attack, especially if the test contains a warhead.
Meanwhile, on Dec. 4, the U.S. and South Korea will engage in a five-day air force drill as part of a pressure tactic against Pyongyang.
The exercise, dubbed Vigilant Ace, will deploy 12,000 U.S. military personnel and an unknown number of South Korean airmen, with 230 aircraft flying in and out of eight U.S. and South Korean military bases, including six F-22 Raptor stealth fighters that will be deployed to South Korea for what may be the largest deployment ever of that aircraft
South Korean media is reporting the F-22s from U.S. Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, and up to four F-35 stealth aircraft will take part in the exercise. Must Read Alaska wasn’t able to determine whether Alaska-based personnel and aircraft will take part.
The US Air Force’s first operational overseas deployment of the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is already operational on Okinawa, the US Pacific Command reported last week.
During the summer, North Korea launched two intercontinental ballistic missiles that were capable of reaching American mainland. Two more missiles passed over Japan, and North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test in September.