Thailand participates in Cope Tiger 2013

UDON THANI, March 16 (TNA) - The Royal Thai Air Force has taken part in this year’s Cope Tiger 2013 exercise, in which the Singapore and US air forces also participated, aimed to strengthen military ties and cooperation between the three allied countries. During the Cope Tiger 2013, set from March 11-22 in theThai Northeast, three fleets of Royal Thai Air Force join in the air exercise, conducted in its training fields in the central Lop Buri and the northeastern Khon Kaen Provinces, including Fleet 1 of the northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Fleet 2 of Lop Buri and Fleet 3 of the northeastern Udon Thani Province. For this year’s regional air drill, Group Captain Napadech Thupa-temi, deputy chief of the Royal Thai Air Force's Directorate of Operations, heads the Cope Tiger exercise for Thailand; while Colonel Ang Kheng Leong from Singapore and Colonel Douglas James from the United States are representing their countries for the same position. Thailand is joining in the Cope Tiger 2013 exercise with 36 aircraft and 13 systems of air defence; while Singapore is participating with 24 aircraft and 4 systems of air defence and the United States with 26 aircraft. Cope Tiger is the largest joint and combined air combat exercise conducted in Thailand annually. The exercise gives members of the aircrew an opportunity to implement all their skills needed for air combat operations and also provides each member of the Thai, Singapore and US air forces to work together and exchange experiences and knowledge. (TNA)