Buddy Wing: An exchange of excellence

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  U.S. Air Force and ROK Air Force leaders, pilots and maintenance crews shared tactics and procedures for the protection and safety of the peninsula here March 8 to 10.

This knowledge exchange is part of an exercise called "Buddy Wing," which is a combined fighter exchange program designed to improve interoperability between the USAF and ROKAF fighter squadrons assigned to the peninsula.

"This is a combined exercise that allows ROKAF and USAF pilots an opportunity to fly missions together," said Lt. Col. John Wilson, 8th Operations Group vice commander. "We conduct this exercise in order to defend the ROK in case of emergency through our mission operations and swift mobilization. It is a great opportunity to show the strong alliance between ROKAF and the USAF."

KF-16s from the ROKAF's 20th Fighter Squadron and F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 8th Fighter Wing's 80th Fighter Squadron participated in the exercise and practiced defending ROK airspace from simulated enemies. The training provided simulated air-to-air combat on the way into a target area and also allowed the crews to practice training with GPS and laser-guided weapons.

"This program is an exercise to check our readiness and to defend the ROK," Colonel Wilson said. "It was a great opportunity to display the interoperability between ROKAF and USAF. They know the region and the cultural aspects of it and so we have to work as a team together; this has to be a combined operation."

The colonel said the training is vitally important because if Americans and Koreans are going to fight together, they should train together as well.

"We (were able to) to learn how our tactics work and how we work together as a team," he said. "This is a building block. We train side-by-side about every three months to maintain our readiness to respond at a moment's notice."

Buddy Wing isn't restricted to Kunsan AB however. Colonel Wilson said the 8th FW plans to attend another bilateral training opportunity at Gwang-Ju Air Base this summer.

Whether at Kunsan, Gwan-Ju or anywhere else on the peninsula, these opportunities to train alongside friends and allies allows both sides, Americans and Koreans alike, to better understand what it means to be members of the Wolf Pack.

"This gives us an improved opportunity here at the Wolf Pack because not only do we train day-to-day with the 111th Fighter Squadron, but (also) all other KF-16 fighter squadrons in the ROKAF," Colonel Wilson said. "This improves our capability and interoperability between our air forces. We benefit from each other's strengths."

To Colonel Wilson, Buddy Wing means building that bigger team.

"We have that team we've built here on Kunsan AB, but the program allows us to expand and work with all the other fighter wings across the ROK so that they understand what our training is on a day-to-day basis and how we can work as a team," he said.

Since the Korean War more than 60 years ago, U.S. and Korean forces have been working as a team. Colonel Wilson said he thinks this continued "exchange of excellence" will be maintained for many generations to come.

"We've always operated as a coalition and we will continue operating as a coalition because of the great relationship we have between our two militaries and countries and this should be something that is envied," the colonel said. "The ability to have to have strong coalition partners ... you can rely on in times of war makes us stronger as a nation and stronger as a region."