FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga — The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Thursday trained side-by-side with the United States Pacific Air Forces (US-PACAF) in basic fighting maneuvers as part of their bilateral Cope Thunder Exercise out of Basa Air Base here.
PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the Cope Thunder Exercise is part of the agreed-upon activities between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Info-Pacific Command through the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board.
The PAF used four South Korea-made FA-50 trainer fighter jets while the USAF sent soaring four F-16 aircraft. Cope Thunder between the US and the Philippines started in 1976 and ended in 1991 following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. It was revived last year.
Castillo said the exercise is part of the country’s preparations for its participation in the Australia-led Pitch Black exercise from July to August.
“This Cope Thunder 24-1 is to prepare the Philippine Air Force for our future participation in international exercises — for one, we are going to have our biggest so far in the Pitch Black Exercise, which is expected to happen in Australia,” she said.
Under Cope Thunder, the USAF teaches PAF personnel how to prepare for a large force deployment.
“What we will learn from this Cope Thunder exercise could add to our confidence and capabilities in participating in the Pitch Black exercise. We are preparing very well,” Castillo added.
The exercise will run until 19 April as part of the AFP’s efforts to improve its interoperability with allies.
US Air Force pilot, Capt. Jonathan Phase Marshall, stressed that Cope Thunder is not directed towards the Philippines’ territorial challenges but to showcase the PAF’s and PACAF’s bilateral partnerships “to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
“I think it is important to understand that these exercises are planned in months, sometimes a year in advance, and we have been doing exercises like this for many years now, and we’re continuing to do so not because of the current things that we are into right now,” Marshall said.
“We prepare ourselves to operate in a joint environment not for any current, present threat but future threats that we might not even know about yet,” he added.
