South Korea’s Air Force said it held live-fire drills on Thursday in response to cruise missile and long-range artillery provocations by North Korea.

About ten fighter aircraft, including KF-16, FA-50 and F-5, were used in the air-to-air and air-to-surface live-fire drills.

In the drills, the fighters fired AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles and KGGB air-to-ground bombs at the maritime firing range in western waters. 

The live-fire training was conducted using a scenario of shooting down low-altitude cruise missiles launched by North Korea and carrying out a precision strike on the origin of the North’s long-range artillery provocations.

An Air Force official who participated in the training said that through live-fire training, he gained the confidence to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation from the enemy.