The United States Air Force and United States Forces in Korea is considering transferring U2s based at Osan Air Force Base to the Middle East according to a confidential source Tuesday. The source noted that during the 1991 Gulf War the USFK sent U2-Rs to the region and U2-Ss to monitor Kosovo in 1999.

Currently there are three U2s operating out of Osan as 5th Reconnaissance Squadron, a subordinate unit to the 9th Operations Group, 9th Reconnaissance Wing based at Beale AFB, California.

The Ministry of National Defense said it had no information regarding the possible deployment, but hastened to add that it would not affect the US defense posture on the peninsula.

(Yoo Yong-won, kysu@chosun.com )