JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Cope West 2017, a bilateral aircraft exercise between U.S. and Indonesia military forces at Manado Air Base, Indonesia, concluded operations November 11, ending a week of full-spectrum fighter training.
Cope West, a Pacific Air Forces sponsored exercise, normally focuses on the exchange of techniques related to airlift, air-land and air drop delivery operations, however, this exercise focused on fighter operations, and was the first fighter combat training exercise in Indonesia in the past 19 years.
“The exercise was a resounding success at all levels,” said Col. Christopher Faurot, PACAF’s Director of Air National Guard Forces who served as the command’s exercise liaison at Manado. “The two countries wrapped up with an 81% mission success rate with the only losses due to weather cancellation. The interaction between the U.S. Marines and the Indonesian Air Force was noteworthy and resulted in all participants walking away better for the experience with a greater appreciation of each other's capabilities."
With PACAF as the planning component for CW17, U.S. Marines from the Marine Aircraft Group 12, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, executed the CW17 daily mission operations including subject matter expert exchanges and air-to-air fighter employment.
Lt. Col. Edward Khim, PACAF Chief of Exercises & Aerial Events, lauded the Marines for their willingness and flexibility when it came time to commit forces to the exercise.
"The Marine Corps jumped into this exercise and now that we have reintroduced Combat Air Forces exercises with Indonesia, it is definitely going to better prepare us for future bilateral engagements," Khim said.
Brig. Gen Dirk Smith, the PACAF Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, highlighted the importance of building exercise capabilities with Indonesia.
“As we engage with our Indonesian partners we want to build on what the Marines have accomplished to continue to advance the relationship, interoperability, capability and capacity with the Indonesian Air Force,” Smith said.
In his closing remarks, Maj. Gen. Michael Compton, Air National Guard assistant to Commander Pacific Air Forces, thanked Indonesian partners for their invitation and partnership.
“The combined training offered by Exercise Cope West 17 will help prepare the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and Indonesian Air Force to work together in promoting a peaceful Indo-Asia-Pacific region,” said Compton.
Conducted since 1989, Cope West exercises have aimed to improve interoperability between the two nation’s militaries. This is the fifth Cope West exercise since 2009 when the U.S. resumed international military education and training programs with Indonesia.