The Navy has conducted its first fleet-level maneuver drills in the southern and eastern seas, involving three Aegis-equipped destroyers and four other warships, to mark its 80th founding anniversary, officials said Tuesday.
The drills, which kicked off Sunday for a three-day run, mark the Navy's first exercise involving the commander of the naval Task Fleet Command, launched in February to better counter North Korea's military threats at sea.
Marking its 80th founding anniversary, which falls on Tuesday, the Navy conducted the first fleet-level drills, upgrading from previous flotilla- or squadron-level exercises and mobilizing three Aegis-equipped destroyers -- the Jeongjo the Great, the ROKS Yulgok Yi I and the ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong -- four warships and three aircrafts.
During Monday's drills disclosed to the media, the ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong, a key component of South Korea's preemptive strike and missile defense systems, sliced through the blue waters of the East Sea at the head of a formation of destroyers and warships.
The participating vessels conducted anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-air warfare drills, along with ballistic missile detection and tracking exercises.
At one point during an anti-ship firing drill, the Jeongjo the Great destroyer and other warships, in a neatly aligned formation, fired 15 shells each toward a simulated target about eight kilometers away, following a countdown and a subsequent order to fire.
A maritime maneuver drill also featured vessels showcasing various formations, starting first in a straight line before spreading out into shapes resembling a diamond and an arrow.
During an anti-air training, the ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong also carried out an air defense drill, detecting and intercepting aircraft and guided missiles under simulated wartime conditions in the East Sea.
Monday's training also included operations at the Command Combat Center, where personnel practiced detecting targets on radar and launching simulated attacks on multiple enemy aircraft and guided missiles, as well as mobile logistics support to sustain combat readiness at sea through the provision of ammunition, fuel and other supplies.
"Through this first fleet-level maritime maneuver exercise, we have been able to verify the command's operational capability to carry out assigned missions anytime and anywhere," said Rear Adm. Kim In-ho, commander of the Navy Task Fleet. (Yonhap)
