Kadena aircraft support exercise Foal Eagle in South Korea

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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A total of 12 F-15's from the 44th Fighter Squadron left today for South Korea to participate in Exercise Foal Eagle.

The F-15's and approximately 190 Kadena Airman will join military members and aircraft from other locations for this combined training opportunity that will last about two weeks.

According to a joint press release by Combined Forces Command in Korea, Foal Eagle along with Exercise Key Resolve is "designed to help teach, coach, and mentor military service members while exercising senior leaders' decision-making capabilities."

During the exercise, KC-135 tankers from Kadena's 909th Air Refueling Squadron are scheduled to fly approximately 20 missions from home station during five select days of the exercise. They will refuel U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft.

The 12 F-15's that just left are in addition to the 12 F-15's from the 67th Fighter Squadron that are at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, participating in Exercise Red Flag-Alaska. As a result of these deployments, F-15 flying activity at Kadena will be reduced by nearly 60 percent while these aircraft are off-station.

The overall goal of this annual exercise is to improve the Combined Forces Command's ability to defend the Republic of Korea. More information including the joint press release can be found here.