Philippines, US air forces hold air drills in Clark anew

MANILA, Philippines — Training under the revived Cope Thunder military exercises, the 5th Fighter Wing of the Philippine Air Force  (PAF) and 4th Fighter Squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF) participated in drills focused on defensive and offensive counter-air operations at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Tuesday.

PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said skilled fighter jet pilots from both air forces showcased their expertise in executing defensive and offensive counter-air drills.

Four of the PAF’s FA-50PHs aircraft and six F-16 fighter jets of the USAF flew side-by-side over intensive military training areas in Luzon.

Castillo said the original Cope Thunder exercise was a  multilateral air force event between the US and its allied countries. It was first held in 1976.

“The whole goal was to teach them how we do our briefing, execution and debriefs so that we can increase our interoperability throughout the region as well as build a relationship with their pilots on the ground,” Capt. Frank Martin, a USAF fighter pilot, said.

Capt. Ferdinand Jose of the PAF said the exercises enabled the forces to simulate multiple threats, react effectively as a coalition and prepare themselves for any contingency.