South Korea kicked off a regular large-scale aerial exercise on Friday to strengthen combat capabilities and enhance the country’s defense posture against North Korean missile launches and other military activities.

Some 60 aircraft and 260 personnel are taking part in the weeklong Soaring Eagle exercise at Cheongju Air Base, roughly 70 miles (112 km) south of Seoul, with the aim of boosting interoperability between different generations of aircraft and improving long-distance operational capabilities through aerial refueling drills, the ROK defense ministry said in a press release.