SEOUL - US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft will conduct its first-ever drill in the Republic of Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported Thursday.

The MV-22 Ospreys will be sent to the ROK's east coast to carry out a drill, as part of the annual joint military exercise codenamed Foal Eagle that started on March 1 and lasted until April 30 to test the combat readiness of the allied forces.

"Ospreys deployed in Japan will joint this year's Ssang Yong exercise in the first time," Yonhap News Agency reported a senior military official as saying. But he didn't say when and how many Ospreys would come.

Ssang Yong exercise, lasting one month, is part of the Foal Eagle exercise.The squadron of 12 Ospreys was fully deployed to Futenma air base in Okinawa last October. Many local Japanese residents and activist groups staged demonstrations against and voiced concern about the multi-mission aircraft.