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U.S., ROK Navies Conduct Combined Rapid Runway Repair Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060413-15
Release Date: 4/13/2006 4:34:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class David McKee, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea Public Affairs

SEOUL, Korea (NNS) -- U.S. Navy Seabees and Republic of Korea (ROK) Sailors responsible for maintaining airfields during combat operations tested their ability to work together March 28-29, to rebuild simulated damage to a runway in a simulated bombing at the K-3 Airfield in the southeastern city of Pohang.

The evolution was part of the annually scheduled spring exercise cycle involving Reception, Staging and Onward Movement & Integration and Foal Eagle 2006 (RSOI/Foal Eagle).

“The professionalism and tactical expertise of the ROK navy is widely known and exercises like these are an excellent chance for our two highly trained and equipped navies to prepare for contingencies in peace and wartime,” said Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) Engineering Plans Officer, Lt. Jeremy Thompson. “We have a relationship with our ROK counterpart that is unique among maritime forces, and we continue to work closely with them in exercises and operations.”

Seabees and ROK sailors spent two days of combined training in preparation for the one-hour timed project, which began when heavy equipment operators from both navies filled and leveled the crater made to simulate a damaged runway.

“You have planes coming in and out, and that runway needs to be operational,” said Thompson.

The Navy/ROK team installed a 30-foot by 20-foot “patch” on the runway made of aluminum panels (AM-2 matting) to create a surface to land on, as well as one that that protects the aircraft using the runway from foreign object debris (FOD).

The ability to repair an air point of embarkation in such a short time is critical to continued power projection against the enemy in the Korean theater of operations.

“Rapid runway repair is the key to minimizing the impacts of enemy attacks on airfield operations of all kinds,” Thompson said. “Whether we are talking about moving supplies and troops in and out of theatre or executing tactical missions, keeping the runways open is vital to mission success.”

RSOI and Foal Eagle are Korean-theater wide computer-simulated and field exercises designed to evaluate and improve the U.S. and ROK forces' ability to coordinate the procedures, plans and systems necessary to defend the ROK in a contingency. It focuses on ground maneuver, air, naval, expeditionary, and special operations, as well as command and control training.

This year, Foal Eagle involved more than 70 U.S. and ROK navy ships and more than 100 aircraft from all services of both the U.S. and ROK armed forces.

CNFK is the regional commander for the U.S. Navy in the Republic of Korea and provides leadership and expertise in naval matters to area military commanders, including the Commander for the United Nations Command, the Republic of Korea and U.S. Combined Forces Command, and Commander, U.S. Forces Korea. CNFK also serves as liaison to the Republic of Korea Navy, the Combined Forces Commander staff in armistice and in wartime and to the Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, based in Yokosuka.