Freedom Flag 26-2: U.S. Seventh AF, ROK AFOC commanders conduct ‘Friendship Flight’ at Kunsan AB
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea – U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Shoemaker, Seventh Air Force commander, and Republic of Korea air force Lt. Gen. Jun-sun Cha, Air Force Operations Command commander, conducted a Friendship Flight during Freedom Flag 26-2 at Kunsan Air Base, ROK, Oct. 27, 2026.
During the Friendship Flight, Shoemaker and Cha accomplished a training mission, taking off from Kunsan AB to fly their aircraft alongside U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons and ROKAF F-15K Slam Eagles.
Cha piloted a U.S. Air Force F-16D, a two-seat version of the Fighting Falcon, alongside a U.S. Air Force pilot, while Shoemaker piloted a ROKAF F-15K alongside a ROKAF pilot. Intermixing the U.S. Air Force and ROKAF pilot positions enabled the two senior leaders to directly experience how each nation operates their aircraft during FF 26-2.
“Freedom Flag is a premier opportunity for the ROKAF and USAF to train side-by-side as we would fight,” Shoemaker said. “The opportunity to fly a sortie today with my friend Lt. Gen. Cha, as we did 9 years ago, highlights the importance of enduring relationships at every level of the alliance.”
Shoemaker and Cha’s relationship began at Kunsan AB in 2017, when Shoemaker commanded the U.S. Air Force 8th Fighter Wing and Cha commanded the ROKAF 38th Fighter Group. During their tenure as commanders, Shoemaker and Cha participated in previous iterations of the Freedom Shield exercise. Both the 8th FW and 38th FG continue to operate out of Kunsan AB today, and together they accomplish the installation’s airpower generation mission in support of the U.S.-ROK Alliance.
“The purpose of the Freedom Flag exercise is to strengthen our combined defense posture and also strengthen our alliance,” Cha said. “We are syncing and linking our tactics, concepts, and mission procedures - and we’re repeating it again and again as this exercise is biannual.”
Following the training mission, Shoemaker and Cha returned to Kunsan AB, meeting leadership and Airmen of the 8th FW, 38th FG and ROKAF 102nd Fighter Squadron.
After exiting their aircraft, the two senior leaders posed for a group photo alongside U.S. Air Force and ROKAF Airmen, holding a banner emboldened with ‘We Fly Together!’ an air force tribute to the U.S. Forces Korea slogan: “We Go Together!”
The Friendship Flight demonstrated the combined interoperability and combat readiness of the U.S. Air Force and ROKAF forces on the Korean Peninsula, showcasing how the air forces of both nations integrate directly during flying operations.
Freedom Flag 26-2 is a biannual exercise designed to enhance the combined, joint interoperability of U.S.-ROK allied forces, strengthening response capabilities and contributing to regional stability. The exercise is a visible demonstration of how combined readiness contributes to deterring potential adversaries and maintaining peace in the Korean Theater of Operations and Pacific Region.
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