The opening ceremony marks the 44th iteration of Cobra Gold, which started in 1982 and is the largest exercise in mainland Asia. This year, more than 3,200 U.S. service members are participating in the exercise, where they will be working side by side with allies and partners to participate in joint training, multinational engagements, and humanitarian projects.

“We share a goal in this region: to prevent war by remaining ready together,” said Gen. Ronald P. Clark, the commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific. “Preventing war requires many thanks, so thank you to Thailand for putting in the effort this year for the 44th annual Cobra Gold Exercise.” 

CG25 has evolved over the years to incorporate more facets. Still, each exercise has been designed to strengthen the capabilities of participating nations to plan and conduct combined and joint operations, as well as build relationships among those nations. 

“Cobra Gold is about our partnerships,” Clark said. “Partnerships that are long-term and require investment.”

This year, CG25 will focus on three primary events: a command and control exercise, humanitarian civic assistance projects, and a field training exercise. Approximately 30 nations will participate either directly or as observers throughout CG25.

“Cobra Gold is the longest-running international military exercise in the world,” said Robert F. Godec, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand. “It affirms the enduring Thai and U.S. security partnership and is a pillar of our commitment to the region. Cobra Gold helps build interoperability, advances our common interests, and is a concrete demonstration of our ongoing promise to our allies and partners to work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

The continued commitment to Cobra Gold and exercises like it demonstrates the dedication of all nations involved to build long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationships, which enhances capabilities across all partnership forces.

“Putting the work in to rehearse our ability to work together and train together never stops,” Clark said. “We see our increased ability to work together for our collective security and sovereignty, and in every Cobra Gold, we better understand each other's capabilities and build upon our collective partnerships.”

This year’s iteration of Cobra Gold will conclude on March 7, but the nations involved will continue to build lasting partnerships through other joint, multinational exercises and future iterations of Cobra Gold.

“Cobra Gold will continue to help us strengthen our land power network, our partnerships built on trust that demonstrate our interoperability, and multiple new capabilities during this exercise,” said Clark.

“The benefits of Cobra Gold have been demonstrated time and again over the years,” Godec said. “Cobra Gold prepares us for future multi-national crisis responses to new and emerging challenges, and in the last 20 years, the 30 nations represented…have put the joint training to operational use in responding to disasters and life-threatening crisis. To tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons, and in non-combatant evacuation operations, we have put the lessons of Cobra Gold to work. In doing so, we have saved lives and helped countless people in this region.”