Cobra Gold, one of the Indo-Pacific’s largest multinational exercises, brought together participants from multiple nations to strengthen regional partnerships and demonstrate U.S. commitment to Indo-Pacific security.

Joint forces from across the United States’ military branches of service, and combined forces, which encompass personnel from allied and partner nations, worked together during Cobra Gold, undertaking a series of command-and-control exercises, humanitarian and civic assistance projects, and a variety of field training events.

“It was a tremendous opportunity for SPACEFOR-KOR to be able to support our joint and combined partners at Cobra Gold,” said U.S. Space Force Col. John Patrick, SPACEFOR-KOR commander. “As our service continues to expand capabilities, we’re deepening relationships with our regional allies and showcasing how the U.S. Space Force continues to provide synchronized warfighting effects across air, land, maritime, cyber and space.”

During Cobra Gold, SPACEFOR-KOR integrated with joint and combined forces from the U.S., Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Australia. Together, over 50 military space professionals from the eight nations made up a Combined Joint Forces-Space Component Command (CJFSCC), located at Camp Red Horse, Rayong, Thailand. Additionally, this year’s iteration of Cobra Gold featured two Philippine observers to the CJFSCC, a first for exercise.

“We’re working with counterparts from our allied and partner nations to meet the needs of our friendly forces during the exercise,” said U.S. Space Force Capt. Andrew Yim, a SPACEFOR-KOR space operations officer who was assigned to the CJFSCC during the exercise. “Together, we’re forging relationships and showcasing how our partnership in space continues to underpin the warfighting ability of our joint and combined forces in the Indo-Pacific!”

SPACEFOR-KOR also introduced a new component to this year’s iteration of Cobra Gold: a Theater Joint Forces-Space Component Command (TJFSCC), located at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. A novelty to the exercise, the TJFSCC provided additional Space Force support, working with the CJFSCC to further refine command-and-control interoperability and provide space-based effects and capabilities, such as missile warning and electromagnetic warfare, for friendly forces.

“The addition of the TJFSCC and its interoperation with the CJFSCC was really valuable,” said U.S. Space Force Maj. Dillon Hagerty, who oversees training and force development for SPACEFOR-KOR. “It gave SPACEFOR-KOR the ability to synchronize additional support for our allies and partners during the exercise while physically remaining at our home station in South Korea.”

As Cobra Gold comes to a close, SPACEFOR-KOR will reflect on the exercise’s events to further refine its vital mission, bolstering the U.S. Space Force’s processes, procedures and mission capacity within the Indo-Pacific.

“Exercises like Cobra Gold demonstrate SPACEFOR-KOR’s warfighting readiness,” Patrick said. “We’re pioneering our mission capacity with our allies and partners today to meet the mission requirements of tomorrow.”