Two squadrons of US F/A-18 Hornet fighters came to South Korea last week to take part in military training, South Korean Yonhap News Agency quoted sources as reporting on Monday.

The squadrons flew to the US Forces Korea (USFK)'s air base in Osan, a city located some 70 kilometers south to Seoul, last Friday from the US aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, based at Atsugi, Japan and the US Marine Corps Air Station at Iwakuni, Japan, an official at the USFK command in Seoul was quoted by Yonhap as saying.

The US navy jets were to conduct simulated strikes with F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II units already deployed in South Korea, the official said.

The deployment is also intended to familiarize them with South Korea's geographical features, the official said.

One F/A-18 Hornet fighters squadron will stay in South Korea for two weeks and the other for one week, he said. One squadron usually comprises 12 to 24 aircraft.

The F/A-18 Hornet jet, powered by turbofans, performs in excess of Mach 1.8 and can operate at altitudes above 50,000 feet. The McDonnell Douglas-made jets are all-weather planes operating in 37tactical squadrons worldwide and from 10 aircraft carriers.

Currently, 33,900 US troops are stationed in South Korea. As part of plan of USFK's reduction which was agreed upon by South Korea and the US earlier this year, some 1,400 US troops are to leave the Korean Peninsula by the end of this year.

Source: Xinhua