On Sunday, a collaborative naval missile defense exercise took place involving the United States, South Korea, and Japan with the aim of addressing the increasing missile threats emanating from North Korea.
This exercise occurred shortly after North Korea’s latest launch of its Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), citing the launch as a “strong practical warning” to its adversaries.
The trilateral drill occurred in international waters between South Korea and Japan, where destroyers equipped with Aegis radar systems from all three nations were deployed. The exercise featured a simulated scenario with a virtual target. According to the South Korean navy, the military’s primary objective for conducting this exercise was to enhance coordination and readiness among the allied forces in response to a potential ballistic missile launch from North Korea.
While South Korea and Japan are individually connected to U.S. radar systems, they lack a direct link to each other’s systems.
