Reports noted that a five-day long full-scale military air drill ‘Max Thunder’ was conducted between the South Korea and US forces from May 23 in the southwest Korea. The drill was aimed at improving the efficiency of joint operations by the two forces and about 59 aircrafts from both the countries participated in it. Max Thunder has been conducted by the countries since 2008. However it was for the first time that search and rescue scenarios of the pilots stranded behind enemy lines were incorporated in the drill.1

• 1. “Korea, US launch air defense exercise”, Korea Herald, May 23, 2011, at http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110523000754