First US F-35 squadron arrives for multilateral exercise in Thailand
The first squadron of four F-35 aircraft from Alaska touched down at the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima on Thursday in preparation for the “Cope Tiger 2024” multilateral exercise.
Another four F-35 aircraft will soon arrive to create a squadron of eight aircraft, according to the RTAF.
The Cope Tiger 2024 is a large scale multilateral exercise focused on Southeast Asia and held this year in a collaboration between the airforces of Thailand, Singapore and the US.
This exercise first took place in the Philippines in 1983, and was formally known as “Air ThaiSing” between Thailand and Singapore, and “Cope Thunder” between Thailand and the US.
The exercise venue was changed to Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima in 1995 due to natural disasters and political tensions in the Philippines. Its name was changed to “Cope Tiger” and has remained so.
This year’s exercise will cover field training at airfields across Nakhon Ratchasima, Lopburi and Udon Thani from March 18 to 29.
There will also be civil affairs and cultural exchange activities at Nakhon Ratchasima’s Ban Krok Duean Ha School on March 21, and Lopburi’s Chai Badan Air Weapons Training Range on March 26.
