ON BOARD THE USS MCCAMPBELL: The joint U.S.-South Korea naval exercises took a “live fire” turn today.

The ships of both countries aimed their sights in a mock attack on an abandoned submarine off the coast of South Korea.

Depth charges, torpedoes and naval cannons were used.

It was the suspected sinking of a South Korean war ship by a North Korean submarine last March that triggered the current tensions and these latest exercises.

And there was action elsewhere in the Sea of Japan. Fox News was on board the Aegis class USS McCampbell.  It is the front line of defense between North Korea and the rest of the ships in the exercise.

The destroyer is equipped with state of the art radar which can spot any hostile aircraft coming from the North.

It is also equipped with Tomahawk missiles and other weaponry that allows it to target those aircraft as well as ships on…and under the surface.

The ship’s commanding officer Chuck Johnson told us that that in the maneuvers so far  there have been no hostile actions by North Korea

But the hostile WORDS keep coming

On this 57th anniversary of the armistice between the North and South. North Korea’s official news agency said “global war” could erupt if the US continues its behavior.

And the top US General in the region. Walter Sharp, warned against provocative behavior by the North.

The joint exercises, they are set to run through tomorrow.   More are planned in the future.

That armistice means the North and South are still technically in a “state of war.”   From the look and sound of things in the area this week, that’s not too far off the mark.