A quarterly exercise at Osan AB, South Korea, that tests the ability of the base’s units to conduct their wartime missions kicked off Tuesday. The main focus of Beverly Herd 16-2 is unit-level objectives and capabilities, according to a 51st Fighter Wing release. “The ability of our squadrons to accomplish their mission is the most fundamental part of Team Osan’s ‘Fight Tonight’ capabilities,” said Col. Cary Culbertson, the 51st Fighter Wing’s vice commander, according to the release. One of the first scenarios of the week-long exercise called for an explosive ordnance disposal team from the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron to investigate a vehicle that contained chemicals and other suspicious objects. The annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, which involves thousands of US and Republic of Korea forces and focuses on the ability to defend all of South Korea, also began earlier this week. (See also: Fight Tonight, It’s Not Just a Motto and North Korea Threatens Nuclear Strike.)
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space during visits to Japan and South Korea. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first overseas visit since taking command of SPACECOM in January.