The United States and South Korea kicked off a four-day joint air exercise southeast of Seoul earlier this week in the latest series of bilateral drills that were scaled back amid repeated North Korean condemnation.

The second Buddy Squadron, or Ssangmae (쌍매) air exercise has been underway since Monday at Jungwon Air Base, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Seoul, the ROK air force said Wednesday.

The battalion-level combined air exercise includes South Korean F-16, KF-16, F-35A and FA-50 fighters, along with American F-16s, according to the air force. 

“The ROK and U.S. air forces will use the exercise