Editor’s Note: Exercise Cope Tiger, a trilateral large force employment exercise between Singapore, Thailand, and the United States, has come to a close. The purpose of the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF)-sponsored exercise is to reinforce current relationships by improving combined readiness and interoperability among military partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. This year’s iteration involved a total of 87 aircraft, 48 ground-based air defense systems, and approximately 2,000 total personnel from the participating nations.

A trilateral air exercise conducted by the air forces of Singapore, Thailand and the United States ended on Friday (Mar 18) at Korat Air Base in Thailand, Singapore’s Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) said.

Exercise Cope Tiger, the 22nd in its series, was conducted in two phases – a command post exercise at Changi Naval Base in Singapore from Dec 8 to 11, 2015, and a flying training exercise conducted at Korat Air Base in Thailand from Mar 7 to 18.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) Heron-1 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Multi-Mission Radar also participated in the Exercise Cope Tiger series for the first time.

Cope Tiger Concludes In Southeast Asia
The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s Heron-1 drone took part in Exercise Cope Tiger for the first time this year. (Photo courtesy of Singapore MINDEF)

The closing ceremony for the exercise was co-officiated by Singapore’s Chief of Air Force Major-General Hoo Cher Mou, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Air Force Air Chief Marshal Treetod Sonjance and Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander of the US Pacific Air Forces Major General Michael B Compton.

The original article in its entirety may be viewed in its entirety at Channel News Asia right here.

Featured photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force/Tech Sgt. Aaron Oelrich)