CREW from RAAF Amberley’s No. 35 Squadron are among more than 200 aviators from the Royal Australian Air Force taking part in a trans-Pacific military exercise in Guam this month.
The crew and a C-27J Spartan aircraft have been taking part in Exercise Cope North 24 alongside teams from the United States Air Force (USAF) and Koku-Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force, or JASDF).
The annual military exercise focuses on training for combat readiness and agile operational preparedness.
RAAF Task Group Commander, Group Captain Kylie Green, said Exercise Cope North 24 was an excellent opportunity to consolidate and further enhance integration with the United States and Japan.
“Exercise Cope North provides training opportunities and invaluable experience for our people in a challenging scenario,” Group Captain Green said.
“We are focused on deepening relationships with the United Pacific Air Forces and the Koku-Jieitai, and the participation of Canada, France and the Republic of Korea.”
Many of the aviators participating in the exercise will support agile operations from remote airfields.
“The scenarios have been designed to allow our aviators to exercise agile operational concepts that enhance force projection, resilience and survivability of our allied air combat forces,” Group Captain Green said.
“We will also have aviators embedded within a Multinational Task Force Headquarters to plan and execute an air campaign, with the agile projection of air power from non-traditional airfields across the Mariana Islands.
“This is a key evolution in Cope North activity from previous iterations and reflects operations in our increasingly complex region.
“The Royal Australian Air Force is committed to developing capable and skilled aviators – exercises such as Cope North provides an excellent opportunity to train as a combined force with our allies and partners, improving our ability to deliver air power when and where required,” she said.
Exercise Cope North was established in 1978 as a quarterly bilateral exercise in Japan and moved to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam in 1999.
It is the United States Pacific Air Force’s largest multilateral exercise.
