Stunning pictures show U.S. F-16s conducting a night elephant walk in South Korea

Some impressive images captured at Kunsan Air Base during a recent elephant walk exercise.

Taken on Feb. 3, 2016 these striking photos feature U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from 35th and 80th Fighter Squadrons of the 8th Fighter Wing Wolf Pack, performing a night elephant walk at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea during exercise Beverly Pack 16-2.

8th FW Elephant Walk

As we have already explained elephant walk exercises are conducted to test squadrons ability to launch a large formation of aircraft with little notice.

Beverly Pack 16-2 is jointly conducted with Republic of Korea Air Force and is aimed to demonstrate the U.S. ability of responding to wartime and armistice threats in the Korean Peninsula.

Elephant Walks are quite frequent in South Korea and are an interesting show of force in response to the North Korea’s aggressive posture. But they are not the only way Washington flexes muscles at Pyongyang: on Jan. 10, following North Korea’s nuclear test, a U.S. Air Force B-52 from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, performed a low-level flight over Osan Air Base, South Korea.

Night Elephant Walk

Image credit: Staff Sgt. Nick Wilson / U.S. Air Force