08 Juli 2023

PAF, US PACAF Open 2nd Edition of 'Cope Thunder' Drills

08 Juli 2023

USAF F-22 Raptor (photo : PAF)

MANILA – The second iteration of the Cope Thunder (CT) exercise between the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the United States' Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) formally opened Friday, with the drills focusing on interoperability between the two services.

The PACAF is a major command of the US Air Force based at the Hickam Air Force Base portion of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. It is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command.

Opening ceremonies took place at Clark Air Base, Mabalacat City, Pampanga with ranking officials of both services present.

Air Defense Command chief Maj. Gen. Augustine Malinit served as the event's guest-of-honor and speaker, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a statement.

"As he addressed the attendees, Maj. Gen. Malinit expressed his gratitude for the successful completion of the first phase of this bilateral exercise with our U.S. counterparts, Cope Thunder 23-1, which was held in May this year," Castillo said.

The first edition of the exercise took place from May 1 to 12 and focused on mission planning capabilities, and execution of defensive and offensive counter-air operations utilizing fighter and cargo aircraft.

"Officially opening this year's bilateral exercise, he (Malinit) affirmed that Cope Thunder 23-2 is an opportunity to assimilate forces and augment interoperability between the Philippines and the United States," Castillo said.

A-10 Warthog close air support (photo : PAF) 

Meanwhile, the ranking American representative was Brig. Gen. Sarah H. Russ, mobilization assistant to the director of strategy plans, programs and requirements of PACAF headquarters.

Russ was welcomed by 5th Fighter Wing commander Brig. Gen. Leo A. Fontanilla.

The original Cope Thunder exercises, which provided regular flight training for US pilots and those of allied nations, were first held in 1976 and continued annually in the Philippines until 1990.

Following the opening ceremony, an aircraft tour was conducted at the Haribon Hangar featuring a USAF F-22 "Raptor" fifth generation stealth jet fighter and A-10 "Warthog" close air support aircraft from the US Air Force and an FA-50 light jet fighter aircraft from the PAF.

The bilateral exercise will engage approximately 585 PACAF service members and 687 airmen from various PAF units.

Spanning from July 2 to 21, the activities will encompass subject matter expert exchanges and field training exercises to be held at several PAF air bases, including Basa Air Base and Clark Air Base in Pampanga, Col. Ernesto Ravina Air Base in Tarlac, Brig. Gen. Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, and General Santos City.

The second edition of the Cope Thunder bilateral air operations exercises will primarily focus on large-force deployment of aircraft. 

(PNA)

10 komentar:

  1. Berita latihan negara2 di kawasan, kecuali kera jaan sebelah ....

    BalasHapus
  2. Sebelah makin diayamkan Pinoy guys sewa sewa sewa sepi latihan.

    BalasHapus
  3. Sebelah kismin gess hanya mampu sewa

    BalasHapus
  4. Buzzer MALON yang sudah MEMBUAAL banyak ternyata ngak bisa terima kenyataan sampai Kerasukan kalau militer Malon kembali SEWA helikopter......HAHAHAHAHAHA πŸ˜πŸ˜„πŸ˜„πŸ˜†

    BalasHapus
  5. Dari segi perolehan kata Panglima TLDM, terdapat kemungkinan angkatan itu mendapatkan helikopter itu menerusi kaedah sewa apabila perkhidmatan helikopter Super Lynx Mk300 yang kini menjangkau usia 20 tahun dihentikan secara berperingkat.
    “Ini bermakna bayaran khidmat hutang banyak…hanya membayar faedah bukan bayar hutang tertunggak,” kata Anwar lagi
    🀣KAEDAH SEWA = KASIAN ANWAR TIDAK BAYAR HUTANG🀣

    BalasHapus
  6. Kata kuncinya " Menerusi kaidah Sewa" artinya kerajaan malaysia tak punya wang banyak dan tak mampu shopping alias miskin.....wkwkwkwkwk

    BalasHapus
  7. Kasihan korea akan jadi korban PRANK malon selanjutnya πŸ˜₯πŸ˜₯πŸ˜₯πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜…πŸ˜…πŸ˜…

    BalasHapus
  8. Yg kerasukan gak nongol komennya sepi yah guys.lagi hari bahan ngetroll yg basi buat bahan lawakan.

    BalasHapus