The Republic of Korea Air Force will again take part this year in the U.S. Air Force Command-led "Christmas air drop operation."
On Dec. 2, the Air Force said it decided to participate in the Christmas air drop operation that the U.S. Pacific Air Forces will conduct for a week from Dec. 7 to Dec. 14 in the Micronesia region south of Guam.
The Christmas air drop operation delivers relief supplies such as medicines, clothing, and daily necessities to more than 10 islands in the Micronesia region south of Guam by attaching them to parachutes and dropping them from an altitude of about 60 meters.
It began in 1952 when daily necessities were airdropped for island residents in the Micronesia region, which had no airfields. The U.S. Air Force added "Christmas" to the operation and has carried it out every December.
The Republic of Korea Air Force has participated since 2021. For this Christmas air drop operation, the Air Force decided to dispatch one C-130 transport aircraft from the 5th Air Mobility Wing and about 30 personnel, including pilots, mechanics, and support staff.
This year, Korea, Canada, and Japan will join the United States. Thirteen countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, will observe.