The US Air Force is putting a permanent drone presence on the Korean Peninsula, reviving a World War II-era squadron to bolster security amid simmering military tensions in the region.
The 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron was activated on Monday at Kunsan Air Base on South Korea’s west coast, south of the capital Seoul. It will fly MQ-9 Reaper drones from the installation.
It’s another move towards strengthening the US military’s air capabilities on the peninsula, after it repositioned F-16 fighter jets closer to North Korea in recent months. It also comes just weeks after North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un stood shoulder to shoulder with China’s leader Xi Jinping at a massive military parade in Beijing.
The Reapers are unmanned single-engine turboprops that can perform a variety of combat and other missions, according to an Air Force fact sheet.
With an extended range of more than 1,600 miles (2,575 kilometers) and the ability to stay airborne indefinitely with aerial refueling, the Reapers will provide a substantial boost to US forces in the region.
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