F-22 stealth fighter jets join US-Philippines military exercise Cope Thunder

Asia-Pacific, News, US July 10, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jets are taking part in the second leg of the joint military exercise ‘Cope Thunder 23-2’ that involves personnel from the United States and the Philippines.

The U.S. Air Force is conducting a joint aerial and military exercise with the Philippines Air Force (PAF) from July 2 to July 21, 2023, to bolster aerial interoperability.

The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor from the Hawaiian Raptors Squadron, which is made up of the 19th and 199th Fighter Squadrons, arrived at Clark Air Base in the Philippines to participate in exercise Cope Thunder 23-2. The Philippines Air Force is joining the exercise with its FA-50 jets performing touch-and-go maneuvers.

The exercise is being conducted at the Clark Air Base, Mactan Air Base, and other airfields around the Philippines. The bilateral military exercise aims to improve the interoperability of the United States and the Philippines through fighter training. The exercise will allow the two countries to swap tactics, techniques, and procedures to increase the effectiveness of joint operations.

According to the U.S. Air Force, approximately 225 of its service members are expected to fly, maintain, and support aircraft such as C-130 Hercules, A-10 Warthogs, and F-22 Raptors from multiple participating units during this iteration of the exercise.

^{F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander and pilot U.S. Air Force Capt. Samuel “RaZZ” Larson flies over Joint Base Langley-Eustis during a practice flight at JBLE, Virginia, on January 6, 2023. (Image Credit: USAF/A1C Mikaela Smith)}

Originally established between the U.S. and the Philippines in 1967, the Cope Thunder exercise was halted in 1991, when the U.S. troops vacated Clark Air Base due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. After 30 years of delay, the exercise has been revived against the backdrop of the increasing need for interoperability between the two sides as well as the changing security dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region.

Earlier this year in May 2023, the first leg of the exercise was conducted at the same location that focused on fighter training operations. During the Cope Thunder 23-1, more than 60 U.S. Air Force personnel flew, supported, and maintained more than 12 aircraft from the 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan during their operations at Clark Air Base, Philippines.

According to the Philippines Air Force (PAF), the operations training included the identification, tracking, and interception of enemy aircraft. The PAF experts provided workshops on how to maintain equipment and security forces training that may be utilized while in the field.

^{U.S. Air Force Airmen and Philippine air force members pose for a photo during exercise Cope Thunder at Basa Air Base, Philippines, May 3, 2023. (Image Credit: U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Sebastian Romawac)}

On the same day that the Cope Thunder 23-2 exercise began, another air combat drill, the Northern Edge 2023-2, was launched at the Kaden airbase in Japan. It is worth noting that the Northern Edge series of exercises has traditionally been held in Alaska but this year it took place at various Pacific locations including the Iwakuni in Japan and the U.S. military base in Hawaii.

While Cope Thunder 23-2 and the Northern Edge 2023-2 are two separate exercises, they share several joint operations. Some of the U.S. fighter jets stationed in Japan are relocated to the Philippines to participate in the Cope Thunder 23-2.