New Life For Gathering IndoPac Intel From South Korea

A U.S. Air Force fighter squadron deactivated after World War II has been reactivated and redesignated as the 431st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron under the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea, and equipped with MQ-9 Reaper drones to conduct ISR missions across the Indo-Pacific region.

Maj. Laura Hayden, spokeswoman for the 7th Air Force, said in an email the reactivated unit is intended to “support U.S.-Korean priorities in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,” in an example of the U.S. “ironclad commitment” to the defense of South Korea.

In a news release from the Air Force, 431st commander Lt. Col. Douglas Slater said, “Deploying the MQ-9 brings a powerful capability to the region. We’re here to support the mission, deepen cooperation, and demonstrate our shared commitment to maintaining security and stability across the Indo-Pacific.”

The MQ-9 Reaper is a long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft with a ceiling of 50,000 feet and a range of about 1,500 miles. It is equipped with an array of sensors and lasers to provide a real-time overview of the battlespace and to designate targets for attack. In recent months it has been deployed in several large-scale military exercises in South Korea.

The 431st was originally the 431st Fighter Squadron, created in 1943 under the 5th Air Force. During the war, the squadron flew the well-known Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a twin-engine, twin-boom fighter aircraft. The unit was deactivated after the war in 1949.

FMI:  www.af.mil/