US, Allies in Show of Force against N. Korea

 

The United States and its allies have again responded to a North Korean missile test. This time, the response included a military exercise using real ammunition¹.

American military aircraft included two B-1B bombers² from a base in Guam and four F-35B stealth fighter jets from a base in Japan. Four South Korean fighter jets joined the Americans to fly over the Korean peninsula. And Japanese military aircraft flew over Japanese waters in the 10-hour operation.

The combined forces released live weapons at the Pilsung Range training area. The show of force came two days after North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan.

General Terrence J. O'Shaughnessy is the commander of U.S. Pacific Air Forces. He said, "North Korea's actions are a threat to our allies, partners and homeland, and their destabilizing actions will be met accordingly. Our forward deployed³ force will be the first to the fight, ready to deliver a lethal⁴ response at a moment's notice if our nation calls."

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency issued a statement calling the exercise a “rash act of those taken aback” by North Korea’s recent missile launch.

The U.S. military frequently responds to North Korean actions with a show-of-force display of its attack aircraft. In July, the U.S. and South Korean militaries also fired missiles into South Korean waters. The action was in response to a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

Joseph Dunford is the top general of the U.S. military. On a recent trip to the region, he said the military's main goal is supporting U.S. efforts to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. But he added that the U.S. is preparing what he called "viable⁵ military options" in the event that those efforts fail.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in this Story

destabilize – v. to cause something to be unable to continue existing or working in the usual or desired way; to make something unstable⁶

lethal – adj. causing or able to cause death

stealth – adj. used to describe military aircraft that are designed so that they cannot be easily seen by radar⁷

viable – adj. capable of being done or used; workable

1 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

2 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

4 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

5 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

6 unstable   

adj.不稳定的，易变的

参考例句：

• This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
• The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。

7 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。