Cooperative COPE THUNDER:
Asia-Pacific Air Forces In Alaska

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

1. U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagles fly in formation in the expansive Alaskan airspace during exercise Cooperative COPE THUNDER.

2. Over 1,200 airmen from Australia, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the largest air combat exercise in the Pacific. In addition, representatives (some shown here) from Brunei, China, Malaysia, and Thailand observed the training areas and air maneuvers.

3. Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18s from Australia line up on the ramp at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

4. The RAF brought 10 fighters, two C-130s, an air refueling tanker, and an E-3 Airborne Warning and Control (AWACS) aircraft (with crew shown here).

5. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) brought 60 pilots and other personnel to train and fly in the superb airspace available in Alaska. One of the two C-130s flown by the JASDF to Alaska to participate.

6. An observer from the Chinese People's Liberation Army-Air Force at Cooperative COPE THUNDER.

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The largest air combat exercise in the Pacific, Cooperative COPE THUNDER, brought five nations to train in America's last frontier. More than 1,200 air force personnel from Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States took part in the flying exercise 13-24 July at Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force Bases, Alaska. Japan also participated on a bilateral basis with the U.S. Air Force. The goal of the exercise, sponsored by U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), was to give regional air forces an opportunity to hone their skills in as realistic an environment as possible.

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"We wanted to include as many of the Asia-Pacific forces as possible," said Maj. Matthew Newman, Chief, PACAF International Affairs Branch. In addition to the foreign participants, observers from several other nations came to Alaska to see the training opportunities first hand. Representatives from Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and China saw what COPE THUNDER could offer their military forces. "We wanted to convey our sincere desire to have them participate in an exercise sometime in the future," added Maj. Newman.

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COPE THUNDER scenarios are repeated four times a year lasting approximately two weeks each. The primary mission is to expose aircrews to realistic combat sorties on the largest air-to-air and air-to-ground range in North America.

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The scenario for this COPE THUNDER exercise included humanitarian airlift and peacekeeping missions in keeping with PACAF's efforts to enhance international cooperation. The training allowed participating air force units to sharpen air combat skills, exchange air-operations tactics, and promoted closer relations among regional air forces and nations. Teams flew air-to-air and air-to-ground combat and combat support missions using a variety of aircraft weapon systems against a realistic set of real and simulated threats. At the height of the exercise, over 80 aircraft were operating in the same airspace at one time.

"COPE THUNDER gives us an excellent opportunity to improve our flying skills and it's great for young pilots," said the Japanese Commander Col. Kanji Ueda. "Alaska is the supreme environment. It's very interesting and challenging to fly over the mountains and into crevasses." The Japanese contingent brought two C-130 aircraft, more than 60 pilots, navigators, maintenance personnel, and a stinger missile team to the exercise.

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Singapore added another C-130 aircraft with 35 support personnel. The Singapore Air Force team had participated in a COPE THUNDER exercise in 1988.

"First, Alaska offers a great area to train," said Singapore Col. Willie Chow. "Second, exercising with more experienced air forces adds to the experience of our young force. It's also very beneficial for transporter people to fly and work with a large deployment and work interoperability with other countries."

The 353rd Combat Training Squadron Commander, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jimmy Carter, agrees that aircrews aren't the only ones who benefit from the COPE THUNDER experience. "COPE THUNDER exercises provide an operations training environment for participants such as unit-level intelligence experts, maintenance crews, and command and control elements," he said. "By providing generic, unclassified scenarios using common worldwide threats, and simulated combat conditions, COPE THUNDER gives everyone an opportunity to make the tough calls combat often requires."

British crews brought two C-130s, an E-3 AWACS, a tanker, and 10 fighters to this year's exercise. Sqdn. Ldr. Russ Akehurst said his crews came to get exposure to ground and air threats. "We like to train with the F-15s and Alaska offers some excellent airspace," he added.

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There were more than 800 sorties into Alaska skies during Cooperative COPE THUNDER. The aircraft paint schemes, uniforms and language varied, but one common bond ran through these countries--a true love for aviation and a desire to be the best.

As the transition from a bipolar to a multi-polar world continues, positive, friendly contact with all neighbors becomes more important to U.S. national security. PACAF officials hope this first truly cooperative effort to bring Pacific air forces together to train will contribute to better relations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.