The 353rd Special Operations Group, stationed on the island of Okinawa at Kadena AB, Japan, sent some 200 airmen to U-Tapao, Thailand, for the 25th running of the Cobra Gold exercise. The USAF airmen provided their particular specialties—airspace control, special tactics, airdrops, jumps, and more—alongside members of the Royal Thai and other nations’ military forces. And, the exercise gave the Okinawa SOG team a chance to practice their crafts in different terrain from mountains to jungles.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
