North Korea attempted to launch another ballistic missile last week, but the test failed. A presumed Musadan intermediate-range ballistic missile was launched near the northwestern city of Kusong on Oct. 14, but failed, US Strategic Command announced Saturday. Last week, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel told reporters the US government is working to tighten existing United Nations sanctions and implement a new one in light of recent ballistic missile and nuclear weapons tests. A number of the ballistic missile tests have failed. The Red Flag exercise underway in Alaska will include a drill in which US and Republic of Korea forces simulate an attack on North Korean nuclear facilities, the Korea Times reported.
U.S. Air Force F-35s and F-22s regularly deploy deep into the Pacific region from Alaska, Utah, and Hawaii. In the future, though, the head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command would like to see the Air Force permanently station fifth-generation aircraft west of the international date line—closer to China.