The naval exercise involves a U. S. carrier strike group and some of South Korea’s most advanced surface warships.
The U. S. Navy and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) will kick off a major naval exercise in the waters off the Korean Peninsula on October 17 involving a U. S. carrier strike group, according to a U. S. 7th Fleet statement.
The so-called Maritime Counter Special Operations exercise (MCSOFEX) will last from October 17-20 and “promote communications, interoperability, and partnership in the 7th Fleet area of operations,” the statement reads.
“The exercise will provide a visible and coordinated engagement for the U. S.-ROK alliance. It will also conduct combined joint operations and exercises with ROK Navy, U. S. Seventh Fleet, ROK Air Force, U. S. Pacific Air Forces’ 7th Air Force and U. S. Eighth Army for the purpose of continuing the United States’ national policy and commitment to the U. S. – ROK alliance and the region.”
A total of 40 vessels are expecting to participate in the drill.
“The ROKN said the allies would seek to boost their capability to carry out concerted and combined operations through anti-submarine warfare (ASW), missile alert drills, maritime interdiction operations (MIOs), and air defense operations, among others.
