The RAAF is participating for the first time in a Guam based military exercise with forces from Japan and the US.
Cope North, which began on February 11 and runs through to the 24th, focuses on improving coordination between the three air forces in a number of different scenarios.
“Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises, dissimilar air combat training, and strike mission training will be conducted during the first week of the exercise,” USAF Maj Greven, the lead planner for this year’s Cope North, said in a story on the USAF’s official website. “Large force employment training will be the focus of the second week. Additionally, JASDF and USAF will conduct live surface attack tactics training on the Farrallon de Medinilla range in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.”
The exercise will include “opposing force” aircraft played by F-16s from the 18th Aggressor Squadron based at Eielson AFB in Alaska. Australian participation includes 1SQN F/A-18F Super Hornet, 2SQN Wedgetail AEW&C and 37SQN C-130 Hercules aircraft.
