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U.S. to withdraw F-16 Squadron from South Korea?

April 17, 2008 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A defense ministry official dismissed a report that the United States notified South Korea of a plan to pull an F-16 squadron out of the Korean Peninsula by the end of the year.

Capt. Joseph Drummond, pilot from the 80th FS, flies a training mission with F-16C block 30 #86-0305 (markings for 18 AS) over the South Korean peninsula on January 9th, 2008. The 80th FS will soon finish upgrading to block 40s from Eielson AFB under the CCIP. [USAF photo by TSgt. Quinton T. Burris]

South Korea and the United States have discussed delaying a scheduled reduction in the number of US troops based on the peninsula.

According to some sources, the U.S. had informally notified the South Korean government during recent security talks that it would withdraw one squadron of some 20 F-16 fighters by the end of this year. The fighter squadron is a key component of the U.S. Air Force Korea as it accounts for one-third of all F-16s stationed in Korea.

At present, three squadrons of 60 F-16 fighters are deployed there. This would be the first time since the mid-1990s that the U.S. is withdrawing air force fighter jets rather than ground troops.


Additional images:

Pilots from the 80th FS fly a training mission with F-16 block 30s #86-0286, #86-0298 nand #86-0305 over the South Korean peninsula on January 9th, 2008. The 80th FS will soon finish upgrading to block 40s from Eielson AFB under the CCIP. [USAF photo by TSgt. Quinton T. Burris]