PANGKALAN UDARA BUTTERWORTH AIR BASE, Malaysia --
“We are doing high end force integration efforts, because that’s the way…if we had to fight…we would fight together in this security environment,” said Col. Travis Rex, United States Air Force Exercise Director.

The high end force integration efforts are in reference to Cope Taufan (CT) 16, a biennial Large Force Employment (LFE) exercise between the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). Participating in the exercise are aviation and ground units from PACAF, Special Operations Command Pacific, RMAF and the Malaysian Army (MA). Air operations include air superiority, airborne command and control, close air support, interdiction, air refueling and tactical airlift and airdrop.

Col. Rex also expressed the importance of teamwork, security and safety as the fundamentals to a successful CT16.

“All of these forces we have gathered here today, have to work together to be successful and that is what we are working toward during this exercise,” Col. Rex stated. He also added, “I know with the USAF and RAMF working together, with all the great experts…we can solve any problem and we will need to practice solving them for the future.”

CT16 is designed to improve U.S. and Malaysian combined readiness and interoperability. CT16 reinforces U.S. Pacific Command Theater Security Cooperation goals for the Southeast Asia region and demonstrates U.S. capability to project forces strategically in a combined joint environment.

Col. Sun Thong, RMAF Exercise Director echoed those thoughts by saying, “I am sure this exercise will allow for an action of technique and procedures, to enhance interoperability in cooperation between participants and also provide quality training for both forces of aircrew and maintenance personnel.”

CT16 will be conducted from July 18-29 at Pangkalan Udara Butterworth and Pangkalan Udara Subang in airspace over the straits of Malacca, northwest of P.U. Butterworth, and the interior of southern Malaysia.