South Korea and France Conduct Joint Air Exercise... Expanding Europe’s Strongest Air Force and 'Interoperability'

[Financial News] Key French Air and Space Force assets have been deployed over the Korean Peninsula, confirming a mutually beneficial cooperation system with the South Korean military. This joint exercise, the first in three years since the initial training between the two nations' air forces in 2023, is expected to serve as an opportunity to solidify pragmatic security cooperation between the defense authorities of both countries. According to ROKAF on the 17th, a joint air exercise aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of both nations was conducted with the French Air and Space Force at Cheongju Air Base from the 15th to the 17th. France is evaluated by global security think tanks as a top-tier military power in Europe, possessing independent long-range power projection capabilities.■ All-out deployment of advanced 4th- and 5th-generation fighter jets... Mutual aerial refueling and cross-tactical flight completedFor this exercise, ROKAF participated with the F-35A, a 5th-generation stealth fighter, as well as the F-15K Slam Eagle, KF-16, and FA-50 fighter jets, and the KC-330 Cygnus multi-role tanker transport. The French Air and Space Force made a sortie with two Dassault Rafale fighter jets, the backbone of French air power, and one Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). The French forces were deployed to South Korea as part of 'PEGASE 26,' a long-range deployment exercise designed to verify strategic deterrence capabilities with allies around the world.
During the exercise, the militaries of both countries exchanged precise tactics in both hardware and software to verify a high level of interoperability. In particular, on the afternoon of the 16th, ROKAF's KC-330 Cygnus successfully refueled a French Dassault Rafale fighter jet, while a French Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport refueled a ROKAF F-35A, completing a practical mutual aerial-refueling maneuver. In the subsequent joint tactical flight, the F-35A and Dassault Rafale acted as friendly forces (Blue Air), while F-15K Slam Eagle aircraft and others served as simulated adversaries (Red Air), allowing the two nations to master advanced air-combat capabilities. During this process, a ROKAF pilot was given the opportunity to board the rear seat of a Dassault Rafale fighter jet to directly learn about the other country's aircraft operating methods. On the morning of the same day, they also strengthened a sense of historical solidarity by conducting a memorial and friendship flight over the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea in Busan to honor French veterans who fought in the Korean War.■ The Status of French Military Power and the Technical Depth of the Dassault Rafale as Assessed by the UK's International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)Throughout the article, military experts point out the grand-strategic status of French air power as the key differentiating point of this exercise. According to The Military Balance, the annual military power report by The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), a prestigious British defense and security research institution, France is classified as one of the few nations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—excluding the United States—that possesses independent nuclear deterrence, an aircraft-carrier strike group, and the 'strategic autonomy' to immediately project advanced air power to battlefields around the world.
In particular, the French Dassault Rafale fighter jet participating in this exercise is a core omnirole fighter operated by both the French Air and Space Force and the Navy. It is a culmination of advanced technology designed to handle not only air-to-air tactics but also precision air-to-ground strikes and nuclear mission capabilities on a single platform. The IISS assesses that the French military has demonstrated advanced rear-support and operational-sustainment capabilities in its combat history, including in Libya, Syria, and the African Sahel, by using a combination of the Dassault Rafale and Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aerial-refueling aircraft to precisely strike targets thousands of kilometers away.■ Prospects for Defense Cooperation Following Elevation to 'Global Strategic Partner' on the 140th Anniversary of Diplomatic RelationsMarking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, South Korea and France officially elevated their relationship to a "Global Strategic Partnership" last April. At the Korea-France summit held in Paris on the 8th, the leaders of both countries also pledged to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in the defense and security sectors.
This joint air exercise is interpreted as the fruition of these diplomatic and security agreements being concretized into a practical military system. Brigadier General Myung Dae-sung, Commander of the 17th Fighter Wing, stated, "This exercise will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen the joint operational capabilities and interoperability of both countries." Major Park Ji-hoon of the 29th Tactical Development Training Squadron also explained, "We will fly alongside French pilots to learn from each other's strengths and enhance our capabilities." Based on the results of this exercise, the military authorities of both countries plan to build a consensus for the regularization of future joint air exercises and continue to develop mutually beneficial military exchanges.









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