US, Japanese warplanes conduct drills over Sea of Japan

Planes of the US Air Force, Navy and Japan Air Self-Defense Force have conducted joint exercises in the airspace over the Sea of Japan, according to the US Pacific Air Forces Command, Report informs referring to Interfax.

The exercise, which took place on December 14, involved seven F-16 fighters, a US Air Force KC-135 tanker, two US Navy EA-18G carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft and four fifth-generation F-35 fighters from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.

The purpose of the exercise was to strengthen US-Japanese response capabilities and develop tactical skills.

They were held in the region on the same day as the Russian-Chinese joint air force exercises.

As the Russian Ministry of Defense reported, Russian and Chinese strategic bombers on December 14 carried out joint patrols over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.