JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Service members and aircraft from the U.S. Air Force’s 8th Fighter Wing and the Indonesian Air Force will participate in Cope West 2023, a bilateral, tactical fighter exercise at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, Pekanbaru, Indonesia, June 12-23.
Approximately 100 U.S. service members will train alongside Indonesian Air Force personnel in the field training exercise. Six U.S. Air Force F-16s and 7 Indonesian Air Force aircraft are participating in this year’s exercise.
U.S. and Indonesian participants will exercise tactical fighter capabilities, evaluate proficiency, identify future training, and enhance capabilities integral to a variety of bilateral missions.
Pacific Air Forces, in coordination with other components, Allies and partners, provides U.S. Indo-Pacific Command with continuous unrivaled air, space, and cyberspace capabilities to uphold the rules-based international order and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Cope West is a recurring exercise that first took place in 1989. This year marks the 10th time Cope West will be hosted in Indonesia.