The South Korean Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. Kim Sung-il, took one of his country’s new F-15K fighters for a test ride recently. A fairly standard procedure for an Air Force leader, right? Unfortunately, the ability of the advanced F-15K to sustain aerial combat for about an hour gave the general an opportunity to make a “symbolic” flight over the Dokdo islets, reports the Chosun Ilbo. Seoul believes Dokdo is its territory, but Tokyo claims the islets for Japan. Tokyo has asked for an explanation.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
