June 14, 2023 | 17:38 (GMT+7)
Indonesia, U.S. conduct joint military exercise
Service members and aircraft from the Indonesian and U.S. Air Forces are participating in bilateral tactical fighter exercise Cope West 2023 at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, Pekanbaru, Riau province, of Indonesia from June 12-23.
Approximately 100 service members of the U.S. Air Force’s 8th Fighter Wing are training alongside Indonesian Air Force personnel in the field training exercise, the US Embassy in Jakarta announced in a statement released on June 13.
As many as six U.S. Air Force F-16s and seven Indonesian Air Force aircraft are participating in this year’s exercise.
The Indonesian and U.S. participants are scheduled to exercise their tactical fighter capabilities, evaluate their proficiency, identify future training areas, and enhance capabilities integral to a variety of bilateral missions, the embassy said.
Earlier on June 11, the Indonesian Air Force said that it will send several F-16 fighter jets from Dragon Squadron 3 and Tiger Squadron 14 from Iswahjudi Air Base in Madiun City, East Java province, and Ryder Squadron 16 from Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru to the exercise.
Cope West first took place in 1989. This year marks the 10th time Cope West being hosted in Indonesia.
Source: VNA