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RAAF personnel have commenced interoperability training with counterparts from the US and Japan.
Exercise Cope North 22 has kicked off, with the Royal Australian Air Force linking up with the United States Air Force and the Koku-Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) in Guam and other islands in Micronesia.
The exercise aims to bolster interoperability through humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) training exercises involving both air and ground forces.
The RAAF has deployed E-7A Wedgetail, C-27J Spartan, KC-30A multi role tanker transport and F-35A Lightning II aircraft, as well as a contingency response squadron focused on HADR training.
RAAF Task Group Commander Group Captain Andrew McHugh noted the importance of trilateral engagement.
“Exercise Cope North is focused on interoperability with our partner nations through combined tactics, techniques and procedures for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations and the mass combat and air mobility missions,” GPCAPT McHugh said.
“Working alongside the United States Air Force and the Koku-Jieitai in a realistic training scenario across complex island terrain will further enhance our capabilities to ensure we are able to provide timely and effective responses when called upon in real-time situations.
“By bringing together the trilateral forces, we are able to strengthen our capabilities as a larger combined force, which is essential for an open, prosperous, inclusive and secure Indo-Pacific.”
Exercise Cope North 22 is scheduled to wrap up on Friday, 18 February.
[Related: RAAF gears up for Exercise Cope North 22]
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