Seoul, Korea
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The US Air Force has a permanent drone presence on the Korean Peninsula, simmering military tensions in the region while reviving the World War II Yera Squadron to enhance security.
The 431st Expedition Reconnaissance Squadron was revitalized on Monday at Gungsan Air Force Base on South Korea’s west coast, south of the capital Seoul. Skip the MQ-9 Reaper drone from the installation.
This is another move to strengthen US military air capacity on the peninsula after relocating F-16 fighters near North Korea in recent months. It’s also a few weeks after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rose to shoulder to shoulder with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a massive military parade in Beijing.
Reapers is an unmanned, single-engine turboprop that can perform a variety of combat and other missions, according to the Air Force fact sheet.
With a range of over 1,600 miles (2,575 km) and the ability to stay in the air indefinitely with air refueling, the Reapers provide a significant boost to the US forces in the region.
The Reapers range not only covers North Korea, but also the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North Korea and South Korea, about 150 miles north of Kunsang, as well as the East China Sea and Taiwan, about 800 miles away.
Mainland China is just 250 miles from Kunsang, and the Bo Hai Sea, where the Chinese Navy often operates, is about 600 miles from US air force bases.
“Operation MQ-9 supports US-Korea priorities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across the Indo-Pacific Theatre,” the Air Force statement said. Military regions range from water off the west coast of the United States to the western border of India, from Antarctica to the Arctic.
“Deploying the MQ-9 brings strong capabilities to the region,” Lt. Colonel Douglas Slater, commanding the squadron, said in a statement.
“We are here to support our mission, deepen our cooperation and demonstrate our shared commitment to maintaining security and stability across the Indo-Pacific,” Slater said.
For combat missions, the MQ-9 can carry a variety of weapons, from Hellfire missiles to laser-guided bombs.
Permanently stationed in Kunsan shows Washington’s commitment to South Korea and other Pacific allies and partners as the Trump administration sees security challenges close to home.
The number of Kunsan-based Reapers was not announced, but 50 people will be shown in the inventory at US Special Operations Command as of January.
Labeling the drone unit as the 431st squadron revives a name that dates back to World War II, which was revived as Australia’s 431st Fighter Squadron in 1943, flying a long-range P-38 lightning fighter jet as a US bomber escort at the Pacific Theatre.
431st was closed in 1992 and was the last to act as a test squadron for California’s F-111 aircraft.
Activating the Korean squadron is the second biggest move by the Air Force on the peninsula.
In July, the service began moving the F-16 fighter jets from just over 80 miles north to Osan Air Force Base, forming what is called the “Super Squadron” near North Korea.
The Air Force said in a July statement that a total of 31 F-16s and 1,000 staff members would be relocating from Kunsang to Osang by October.
The temporary relocation is expected to continue until next October, and “we will see if it can maximize the capabilities of the South Korean Peninsula and increase the effectiveness of the combat,” the Air Force statement said.
