Some 390 US airmen, along with nearly 1,000 Singaporean and Thai personnel, wrapped up Exercise Cope Tiger at Korat RTAFB, Thailand. This year’s iteration of the annual exercise brought together Air Force F-15s, an E-3 AWACS, and a KC-135 tanker from Kadena AB, Japan, with Singaporean and Thai aircraft, according to a Pacific Air Forces release. In all, there were 84 airplanes that took part, states a separate PACAF release. “Cope Tiger brings all three air forces together, so we can become interoperable,” said Col. Paul Johnson, exercise director. Scenarios included humanitarian relief, search and rescue, maritime surveillance, and counterterrorism. The exercise ran from March 9 to March 20. C-130s from Yokota AB, Japan, also conducted joint training, including day and night airdrop sorties during the exercise. This year marked the first time in six years that an AWACS from Kadena participated, according to PACAF.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.
