US F-35 Stealth Fighters Debut at Cope North Drills in Guam

The start of the Cope North drills in Guam signals US F-35 Stealth Fighters' first flight in a tri-lateral exercise. This activity is part of a multination effort of several nations to secure the Indo-Pacific through collaborative practices.

F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters will be flying for the first time in military drills conducted by the QUAD members.

The members joining these military drills are Japan, Australia, and America whom air forces will be a part of the most significant exercise, which starts Wednesday in Guam, reported Stars and Stripes.

Joint military drills with three nations' armed forces

A total number of 1,800 U.S. airmen, marines, and sailors will have drills that include 400 Australian and Japanese troops in the Cope North drills. The event will last until February 19 at Andersen Air Force Base. The PACAC reveals these details in a press release.

Ninety-five planes from twenty flying units will be part of the aerial exercises this year. Along with other military units, this will be emphasizing the interoperability of these diverse forces.

Planes that will participate

From the 356th Fighter Squadron with F-35As that take off and land like ordinary planes, another is the 354th Fighter Wing from Alaska with conventional planes of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force that will be part of this massive military exercise.

Both Japan and Australia have F-35s but bring in their 4th generation combat aircraft to the drills, said Capt. Caitlin Mott last Wednesday.

Other planes are Japanese F-15 Eagles, Mitsubishi F-2s, Kawasaki C-2 transports, and E-767 AWACS, with Australian E-7A Wedgetail reconnaissance planes KC-30 tankers will join Cope North drills.

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The stealth fighters will be doing offensive and defensive air combat flying, fueling with tankers, and supporting conventional aircraft. F-35s can connect and share data with other combat and support aircraft.

According to PACAF, a combination of F-35s and conventional aircraft in these drills is crucial, so these units have experience. A modern battlefield will have the data capabilities of the F-35s as the point man in some future conflict.

Heading the planes in the multinational task force will be Japan in the aerial drills, mentioned a statement.

Drills will begin with humanitarian assistance and disaster response drills at Anderson and the Northwest Field on Guam. Other locations will be Koror and Angaur in Palau, noted officials.

Special training for the participants

To prepare for possible situations where airfields will be disabled by adversaries, crews, and pilots of F-35s and F-16s will train to operate from makeshift airfields. The conflict in the Indo-Pacific expects the PLA to launch missile attacks on major bases, especially Guam.

American and QUAD allies will have to train in different environments like jungles and the like if the time comes. By distributing forces, it is projected more have a chance to survive based on these exercises.

Preventing the spread of COVID-19

Inplace are measures to prevent the spread of COVID by strictly following steps to avoid it. Another aspect is to stop infecting Guam's civilian and military communities, noted Joint Region Marianas last Monday. Strict implementation of the rules is enforced on visiting forces. Cope North drills will be a combination of stealth tactics with conventional planes.