The US and South Korea began a major air combat exercise on Monday, which appears to be another show of strength following North Korea's latest missile test late last month. The US-South Korea air combat drills, named "Vigilant Ace", seek to improve the all-weather, day and night combined operational capacity of the two countries, a spokesperson for the South Korean Defence Ministry told Efe news. Although the Ministry did not confirm whether it was the largest air combat manoeuvers ever carried out between Washington and Seoul, local media suggested that this year's operation marked the countries' largest joint air drills ever recorded, with over 230 aircraft and some 12,000 troops in participation. The US deployed over two dozen stealth fighter jets, including F-22s and F-35s, and two strategic B-1B bombers in the manoeuvers, which will conclude on Saturday.

A US Air Force F-15C jet flies over a South Korean air base in Gwangju on December 4, 2017. The US and South Korea on December 4 kicked off their largest ever joint air exercise, an operation North Korea has labelled an "all-out provocation", days after Pyongyang fired its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile. Pic/ AFP