Exercise Co-operative Cope Thunder

[vksac]

Great pictures!!!

[Rakesh]

Beautiful pictures Aditya. Very sexy!

[srai]

Great picture of IL-78 MKI at Edmonton -International (YEG / CYEG) Canada - Alberta, on July 6, 2004 (by Richard Barsby)

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/618592/L/

[JaiS]

Photos taken by victorzv2 ( A Russian in Canada ) :

http://forums.airbase.ru/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6304
http://forums.airbase.ru/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6305
http://forums.airbase.ru/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6306
http://forums.airbase.ru/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6307
http://forums.airbase.ru/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=6309

[abhejit]

man, our fighters and tankers are seeing so much action even before the start of the exercise.

Go IAF. :wah:

[Ashutosh]

Il-76 almost certainly in North Bay, Ontario: web page

[jrjrao]

Detailed report.

Red & blue flash in Indo-US thunder

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040718/asp/frontpage/story_3510996.asp

[nandy_a]

<img src="http://www.eielson.af.mil/library/news/ ... Force1.jpg" alt="" />

EIELSON AFB, Alaska -- Indian Air Force members, left: Junior Warrant Officer Kumar, front right: Corporal Singha and Sergeant Chandra, attach a bomb pod to the bottom of an Indian GR-1 Jaguar Monday in preparation for Exercise Cooperative Cope Thunder 04-01. Cope Thunder, which kicked off yesterday, is a multi-nation, multi-platform coordinated, combat operations exercise that allows allied forces to work together and become familiar with the other country’s combat tactics and capabilities.

http://www.eielson.af.mil/library/news/04nsvs/july2004/July_16/071604a.htm

[JaiS]

New photos have been added by Richard Barsby including close-up pics of the Jags.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623602/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623601/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623600/L/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623599/L/

[Manu]

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623933/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623931/M/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/623932/M/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/616481/M/

[JaiS]

Air Force exercises include foreign forces

Until the end of the month, Alaskans may notice increased military activity in the skies over Anchorage and Fairbanks due to the exercise known as Cooperative Cope Thunder, spokesmen at Elmendorf Air Force Base said Monday.

The exercise, which began Thursday and will run through July 30 in the vicinity of Elmendorf and Eielson Air Force bases, involves forces from India, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mongolia, Canada, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia and the United States, the 11th Air Force said in a written statement.

It's meant to simulate conditions that pilots would face in a real war, the Air Force said.

The exercise involves more than 1,800 people, including 1,120 from the armed forces of other countries, and represents the first time the Indian Air Force has deployed fighter aircraft in the United States, the statement said. Also, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is in Alaska for a second year to join U.S. forces.

[Umrao]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/784714.cms

An IAF pilot, who was in Alaska last October to prepare for Cope India held in Gwalior this February, told The Times of India that women fighter pilots in the US Air Force used diapers during flight while their male counterparts preferred pouches to relieve themselves.

[Rudra]

well thats been the norm for decades now. they
even experimented with urinary catheters but didnt work out.

[George J]

Originally posted by Rudra Singha:
well thats been the norm for decades now. they
even experimented with urinary catheters but didnt work out.

Errr you really dont want a urinary cath IN YOU if you can help it. It not the most comfortable thing in the world and you risk infections.

IIRC the pouches dont work on russian flight suits and hence the diapers.

Whats the maximum flight time for the Jag? Do they fly for more than 5-6 hours straight?

[Rudra]

heres some info about a non-diaper device the US
seems to be using
http://www.navy.gov.au/publications/touchdown/html/august2003/women.htm

btw dont they use catheters after C-sec delivery
atleast in india ?

[shiv]

Originally posted by Rudra Singha:

btw dont they use catheters after C-sec delivery
atleast in india ?

RS Urinary catheters have widespread medical applications - but like tube feeding they are used only where necessary, and where the risks and discomfort are outweighed by the benefits, and their use is under strict guidelines to avoid infection and/or other damage.

Im my opinion, asking a fighter pilot to work with a catheter in place comes under the chapter "torture". Surgeons could certainly start 8 or 10 hour operations by sticking a catheter up their peeholes first - but if they prefer not to do that - I think there is no way they can ask pilots to do that.

JMT

[Jagan]

There was an incident in the late 90s in which a Lt Col flying an F-16 which he literally 'piddled away'. The pilot felt the need to relieve himself and he tried to bend or reach for a 'piddle pot' . A comedy of errors resulted in the piddle pot getting struck in some place in the cockpit and the ac going out of control. the Lt Col ejected. Time Magazine carried the news blurb

[Sukumar]

I am sure he got busted down to Lt.

[Jagan]

USAF : 0 Piddle Packs : 1

A piddling matter. Pity Lt. Col. Don Snelgrove who lost control of his F-16 jet fighter over the no-fly zone in northern Iraq in September (92). On a four-hour mission, Snelgrove tried to use the regulation plastic container and dehydrated sponge, popularly knows as a 'piddle pack'. After he took off his lap belt, it caught between the seat and the sidestick, sending the plane into a spin. The pilot struggled to regain control of the plane and finally bailed out of the $12-million fighter at 2,000 feet. Rules for the use of 'comfort stations' in the fighters have now been amended: lap-straps are loosened, not unfastened.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_mishaps_airframe-1807.html

85451 512 FS (USAF) F-16C Block 30A 08 Sep 1992 [msh]
This was the aircraft which crashed due to the pilots flight suit inflating causing the side stick to jam. The pilot was releiving himself and undid his lap belt. Unknowingly, the belt was wrapped around the stick and when he finally raised his seat up the aircraft went into an unwanted roll which could not be recovered. The pilot managed to eject safely. He unstrapped himself at 33,000 ft and initiated the ejection at 1,100 ft agl. The pilot was unbelted on ejection. This mishap occurred in the skies over Incirlik, Turkey

[NRao]

Packs or Paks?

JK.

[Bose]

dude you got it all wrong!! it's piddle pakis!

Hint: Fill in the blanks..... becoz their diapers
are full of 'pi__'. Further clue ...word rhymes with kiss.

gosh! now I need to hide from ISI since I inadvertently let out their best kept state secret.

Originally posted by Niranjan Rao:
Packs or Paks?

JK.

[NRao]

Not from Cope Thunder, but picks from Alakska for your collection (scroll way down for IA pics):

pics

[NRao]

Cut and paste the URL into your fav browser:
"http://geta-o.maxs.jp/LATEST/2002-10/20 ... 6-7699.jpg"

Nice

07/18/2004 - "Beer 65", a half-billion dollar Japanese Air Self Defense Force Boeing E-767 Airborne Warning and Control Aircraft (AWACS) leads the way over the southern flanks of Denali Thursday afternoon during a joint formation to commemorate the beginning of Cooperative Cope Thunder 2004. The JASDF E-767 is the newest addition to Japan´s powerful air force and it is joined by two JASDF F-15J Eagles (left), two F-16C Vipers from the 194th Fighter Squadron of the California Air National Guard at Fresno and two US Air Force F-15Cs from the 67th Fighter Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Thanks to Mark Farmer for todays photo. Cheers! Pat

@ Here

[Philip]

AWST reports that the fallout of the Cope exercises in India between the USAF and the IAF are continuing.While full details cannot be made because of their sensitive nature,one fact came out is that the F-15s have a huge IR signature and that IAF MIG-30MKs were able to carry out successful "flank attacks" with their radars in the passive mode using their IR sensors.

The issue also carries details of the very latest efforts at new electronic warfare sytems being developed in the US,which when operational would defeat any current and future system in devlopment.The methods used would be deception,where the return signals would carry false readings and the power of the systems would be able to "destroy" enemy radars and sensors.These systems would be capable even against current stealth technology.

[JaiS]

Mr. Philip, you mean the Su-30K.

[JaiS]

Some information regarding the origins of Cooperative Cope Thunder.

PACIFIC AIR CHIEFS CONFERENCE

October 1997

Building strong ties with AsiaPacific air forces is a major tenet of the United States Pacific Air Forces' (PACAF) strategy in the Pacific. One of the most effective tools in shaping such ties is the sharing of air power philosophies among the region's air forces.

The 1996 Pacific Air Chiefs Conference held in Hawaii and Alaska provided that opportunity. Ten of the AsiaPacific's top air force commanders gathered 1822 May 1996 for discussions on everything from air doctrine to night vision goggles.

The heads of nine AsiaPacific nations' air forces took part. They included: Air Marshal Les B. Fisher, Australia; Air Vice Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh; Maj. Gen. Norodom Vatvani, Cambodia; Air Marshal Sutria Tubagus, Indonesia; Gen. Koji Muraki, Japan; Brig. Gen. Choijamtsyn Ulaanhuu, Mongolia; Air ViceMarshal Carey W. Adamson, New Zealand; Air Chief Marshal Muhammad Abbas Khattak, Pakistan; and Brig. Gen. Goh YongSiang, Singapore.

The conference's official discussions began at Headquarters PACAF, Hickam Air Force Base (AFB), Hawaii. A look at the foundation of air power - air doctrine - was first on the agenda. The second day, attendees learned of two PACAF initiatives which could integrate their forces into a pair of training events: the Pacific Forces Airlift Rally and Cooperative COPE THUNDER.

Cooperative COPE THUNDER is an effort to bring more AsiaPacific air forces into one of the USAF's top training environments. COPE THUNDER air exercises are held four times annually at Eielson AFB, Alaska. Cooperative COPE THUNDER aims to strengthen ties between air forces in the region and to enhance multilateral interoperability. The plan is to have small fighter packages of perhaps four to six aircraft deploy to Alaska from participating nations. PACAF is researching the possibility for providing en route airtoair fueling support by USAF KC135 tanker aircraft. The fuel would be provided atcost and could, by 1998, bring down the "tyranny of distance" barrier that currently keeps some air forces away. Forces from Canada, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom have taken part in COPE THUNDER since 1991. Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Korea, and Malaysia have sent observers.

The AsiaPacific air chiefs then flew to Alaska to look at the 3rd Wing, 11th Air Force, and be briefed on Alaskan Command missions, at Elmendorf AFB. The group also traveled to Eielson AFB where they received a close-up look at COPE THUNDER capabilities. This included a mission brief, tour of facilities, and a demonstration of the Yukon Measurement Debriefing System (YMDS). YMDS tracks and records nearly every mission aspect and enables pilots to watch an electronic version of their battles after each mission.

[JaiS]

Inside The AWACS

Large scale war-fighting scenarios are underway at Elmendorf Air Force Base. It's all part of "Cope Thunder" where military units from across the world come to participate. The United Kingdom brought along their AWACS plane and offered a rare look inside. AWACS stands for Airborne Warning and Control System. Military officials say it's an invaluable piece of equipment, whether it be in the United Kingdom or the United States.

In a wartime situation, early warning is key. That's where the AWACS plane comes in.

Tech. Sgt. Theo McNamara, a spokesperson for Elmendorf Air Force Base says, "It is a critical aircraft, a critical platform in any combat environment. It's really the eyes and the ears of the F-15s that we see in training around Alaska."

This week the United Kingdom offered a rare look inside of an AWACS plane that is in town for Cope Thunder exercises. The training enables air force units from around the world to sharpen their skills, exchange air operation tactics and promote closer relations with participating countries. Mock air battles are taped and then reviewed by technicians who point out tactics that were performed well and those that could get them killed in a real war scenario.

"There's no doubt there's a value to us," says Mike Palmer the UK Army Detachment Commander for Number Eight Squadron. Palmer says that training together is invaluable, because the coalition between forces becomes stronger, "... Because that enables us to work on our procedures together to get the same practices, we found that we're so close in the way we operate, that by exercising together we're about to step into harmony and to start operating in no time at all."

Those operations will include working AWACS planes like this one for quick 360-degree airborne surveillance that provides early warning that has saved the lives of countless troops in wartime situations.

Cooperative Cope Thunder has taken place annually in Alaska since 1992 with more than 1,500 people participating each year.

[Katare]

Well, rare look inside but where is the look (picture)

[cochis]

Update

[JaiS]

Indian Top Guns blaze US skies

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE (Alaska): An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar fighter jet roared into the cold clear skies, simulating combat manoeuvres along with fighter aircraft from the US and several other countries as part of joint air exercise taking place in frozen Alaska.

Two hundred IAF personnel are participating in the fortnight-long annual exercise that imitates a near realistic scenario.

The IAF, which displayed its superior skills during joint Indo-US air exercises in Gwalior, India, earlier this year, participated in aerial exercises along with US and other countries. The other participating countries are Canada, Britain, Germany, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia and Sri Lanka.

Embassy sources said the exercise would "help us validate our concepts and operational philosophy. It would also provide a good opportunity for professional interaction with the other air forces".

The IAF contingent is expected to return to India on Aug 16.

[JaiS]

Foreign fliers at Eielson

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE--In a melding of East and West, about 30 aircraft displaying a variety of flags have been flying over the skies of Alaska for the past three weeks.

Of the roughly 1,800 people participating in the annual multinational exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, 1,120 of them hail from eight other countries, including Singapore, India, Japan, Mongolia, and the United Kingdom. The exercise is one of three in Alaska this year and is used as a tool for the different nations to learn to work together for future coalition endeavors.

At the Cope Thunder hangar on Eielson Air Force Base, mechanics from Germany and India work on the Jaguars their air forces fly.

Of the more than 30 aircraft, 15 German Tornadoes and six Indian Jaguars are participating for the first time. The pilots said the journey to Alaska was just as much of a learning experience as training alongside pilots from other countries. The Jaguars left India on June 23 and their journey to Alaska included stops in Qatar, Egypt, Italy, Portugal and Canada. They arrived July 9 and the exercise began six days later.

"This is a great achievement for us," said Wing Commander S. Sanjay.

It is the second year India has participated in the Cooperative Cope Thunder. Last year, an IL-76 circled the globe in its path to and from Alaska for the exercise, a first for India's air force.

The Japan Air Self Defense Force also returned with F-15Js and E-767s for a second year. Their Stinger teams, which fire shouldered anti-aircraft missiles, have been a presence at Cope Thunder for the past eight years.

"It's a multinational exercise and you can't get any better than that," said U.S. Air Force Capt. Jeff Ferrer who was acting as a translator for the two Stinger teams.

Both Japan and Germany have stipulations written in their constitutions limiting their armed forces to a strictly defensive role since World War II.

There are other barriers to overcome, such as differences in languages, but everyone in military aviation is required to speak English.

"It's not too easy when you're accustomed to European English and the first time you hear an Indian guy talking it's a little bit different," Col. Peter Stammnitz, detachment commander for the 300 Germans and Tornadoes at Eielson for the exercise that ends Friday. "On the radios, it's very busy. There are only one or two frequencies and everybody's talking and has to get a message over. It's kind of new and an interesting challenge."

That's not the only first for the Germans who, despite having pilots stationed in New Mexico, chose to send people and aircraft directly from Germany.

"It's very new for the German air force to go that far," Stammnitz said. It was also a good opportunity for them to practice rapidly deploying to areas that NATO dictates require a military presence, he said.

The exercise, however, isn't directly following NATO guidelines.

"NATO has certain manuals and certain procedures agreed upon by the NATO nations. Those procedures are not used here nor are U.S. procedures," said Col. Mark Fitzgerald, who deployed from Kadena Air Force Base in Japan to give general oversight for the exercise that is put on by the 353rd Combat Training Squadron at Eielson.

Instead, an unclassified general "playbook" is used to guide the countries toward future coalition operations around the world.

"It's about engagement and learning together. You get to see what each different nation does bring to the table, their relative strengths and weaknesses and what they would bring to the fight in the case we have the opportunity to work with them in a coalition fight," Fitzgerald said.

The variety of aircraft from fighters to cargo planes and refueling tankers have been flying in two shifts daily, simulating air-to-air and air-to-ground missions and defense air missions out of both Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force Base, near Anchorage, where the forces from Japan and the United States were flying out as the enemy aircraft. U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets and F-16s from the Fresno Air National Guard also were involved in the exercise.

Not only are foreign pilots getting to know each other, they are taking advantage of the largest unpopulated range many of them have had the chance to fly.

"The Alaska training area is the size of Bangladesh," said Serniabat Mashihuzza, a group captain and MiG-29 pilot who was observing the exercise to see whether his country's air force would participate in future Cooperative Cope Thunders.

[JaiS]

Well, rare look inside but where is the look (picture)

Crew members prepare for a Cope Thunder mission aboard their AWACS aircraft Thursday.

[JTull]

http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/5362325p-5300875c.html

[Bhairav]

Love the JASDF E-767 pic. Any bigger images of that beauty available?

[JaiS]

Story :
The Godfather


Images :

Mike Lawrence (left), plays “Godfather” as he passes updated scenario information to the electronic warfare threat operators by phone while Robert Lowe (seated) and Ken Gallagher discuss upcoming electronic warfare missions at the TAC-90 radar display.


A “mock” Russian SA-3 surface-to-air missile stands poised on a hillside to serve as a visual target that adds a sense of realism for pilots flying through the range. The missiles are constructed of steel pipes and welded fins that are mounted to a 2 1/2-ton army truck. Sergeant Neal (right) travels the range to ensure that these targets aren’t obscured by deep snow.



Master Sgt. Steve Neal oversees acquisition and scheduled maintenance of all electronic warfare threat sites on Eielson’s 60,000-square-mile range and military operating area. After an hour-long trek across ice packed dirt roads, Sergeant Neal checks in with threat site operator, Bob Garmann (background) who transmits surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft artillery radar signals to aircraft entering the valley below. “Travel accross the range is much slower in the summer months when frozen soil turns to deep mud and low valleys can become gushing waterways,” Sergeant Neal said.

[JaiS]

Crossposting a post by Hans Van Herk.

Received information that the Indian contingent has left Eielson AFB
on their way to India.
They are supposed to fly the same route and two dates have been
confirmed:
- they left Eielson on Tue 03-Aug and
- they are expected back in India 16-Aug

Taking the route vice-versa shows the following flight-plan (educated
guess):
Tue 03-Aug DEP Eielson AFB (AK), ARR Edmonton (Canada)
Wed 04-Aug DEP Edmonton, ARR North Bay
Fri 06-Aug DEP North Bay, ARR Gander (?)
Sun 08-Aug DEP Gander, ARR Lajes, Portugal
Tue 10-Aug DEP Lajes, ARR Monte Real
Thu 12-Aug DEP Monte Real, ARR Pratica di Mare (Italy)
Fri 13-Aug DEP Pratica, ARR Cairo, Egypt
Sat 14-Aug DEP Cairo, ARR Qatar
Sun 15-Aug DEP Qatar, ARR Jamnagar, India
Mon 16-Aug DEP Jamnagar, ARR Ambala

Please, can anybody confirm the route and dates?

Regards,
Hans van Herk

[rajpa]

http://www.indiapost.com/members/story. ... ry_id=3351

[JTull]

http://www.indiapost.com/members/story. ... ry_id=3351

Well done indeed! Hopefully next time onwards interceptors would also be part of the contingent that gies there.

[daulat]

what does mission commander status actually mean?

[Rudra]

thats what we need to find out and who else was in the ground attack profile ? perhaps if multiple countries were contributing A2G planes the FSL post was given to India ?