Photo : YONHAP News
A U.S. Army squadron that had been stationed at U.S. Forces Korea’s(USFK) Pyeongtaek headquarters was deactivated last month.
According to a report from the U.S. Congressional Research Service on Thursday, the 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron at Camp Humphreys was deactivated on December 15, along with five air cavalry squadrons in the U.S.
The deactivations are a part of the Army Transformation Initiative under instructions from U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and they come amid rising speculation about a reduction or realignment of USFK.
Established in 2022, the 5-17 Air Cavalry Squadron had approximately 500 troops and operated the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter and the RQ-7B Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System.
It remains unclear whether the deactivation means the squadron’s operations are complete, whether it represents a withdrawal of troops, or whether alternative units will be deployed.