The 8th Fighter Wing and 7th Air Force are hosting Exercise MAX THUNDER 17 at Kunsan Air Base from April 17th through April 28th. These takeoffs were captured on April 20th during a Max Thunder media day.

As tensions on the Korean Peninsula continue to ratchet up, more than 1,000 U.S. military personnel from the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Army, and about 500 Republic of Korea troops, are taking part in the bilateral Max Thunder exercise, which began Monday. 

Hosted at Kunsan Air Base through April 29, the annual exercise, which has been in the planning stages for months, is designed to improve interoperability between South Korean and U.S. forces, who will be operating out of air bases in Korea and Japan. 

Aircraft taking part in the exercise include F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 7th Air Force, AV-8B Harriers from the 12th Marine Aircraft Group, and EA-18G Growlers from the Navy’s Electronic Attack Squadron 132. Also taking part will be F-15K Slam Eagles, F-4E Phantom IIs, F-5E Tiger IIs, KA-1 Woongbi light attack aircraft, C-130s, HH-60 helicopters and CN 235 tactical transport aircraft, according to Pacific Command.