3E-West Pacific Operations (1994-2001)

KOREAN NUCLEAR CRISIS (1994)
North Korea withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferaton Treaty in 1993 and prevented IAEA inspections of a key radiochemical facility used for fuel reprocessing. In June 1994, the US prepared to attack North Korea to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons. My PACAF Detachment at King Salmon, Alaska deliberately prepared to deploy, as we were already drawing down to close the base. The nuclear facilities would be attacked with F-117 aircraft and cruise missiles. Former President Jimmy Carter, however, negotiated an Agreed Framework with North Korea to exchange nuclear power technology for their agreement to discontinue nuclear weapon development - a bargain they did not honor. Also in 1994, North Korea shot down a US Army OH-58D Kiowa that had strayed off course, further increasing hostility between the US and North Korea.
• F-15C Eagle (USAF)
• F-117A Nighthawk (USAF)
• B-52H Stratofortress (USAF)
• RGM-109E/UGM-109E Tomahawk (USN)
• OH-58D Kiowa (USA)

CHINA INCIDENTS (1994-2001)
After the potential attack on North Korea was called off, the USS Kitty Hawk carrier group sailed to the South China Sea. The fleet started tracking a Chinese Han nuclear submarine with a S-3B ASW aircraft about 50 miles off the coast. The S-3B was intercepted by two J-6 fighters. The incident angered China greatly, who threatened issued to shoot down US Navy aircraft tracking Chinese vessels, even though the US was well outside the internationally recognized 12-mile territorial distance. From that point forward, Chinese Air Force pilots became increasingly aggressive, eventually leading to the 2001 Hainan Island incident in which a J-8II collided with a US Navy EP-3E.
• S-3B Viking (USN)
- EP-3E ARIES II (USN)

• Featured in another collection