Pacific Air Forces

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Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, left, U.S. Air Force exercise director, Gp.Capt. Arnon Charusombat, center, Royal Thai Air Force exercise director and Col. Sebastian Chai, Republic of Singapore director, walk past their country’s respective aircraft after completing the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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Exercise directors from the U.S Air Force, left, Royal Thai Air Force, center and Royal Republic of Singapore Air Force, right, gather for a photo with Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee, chief of defense forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, after completing the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee, left, chief of defense forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, presents U.S. Air Force Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, center, U.S. Air Force exercise director, a customized themed name tag in recognition of U.S participation in the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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Exercise directors from the U.S Air Force, Royal Thai Air Force and Royal Republic of Singapore Air Force greet upon completing the “Friendship through the sky” flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Broyles, left, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, left, Gp.Capt. Arnon Charusombat, center, Royal Thai Air Force exercise director and Col. Sebastian Chai, Republic of Singapore director, standby to disembark from their aircraft after participating in the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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U.S. Air Force Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, U.S. Air Force exercise director, answers questions for media outlets in recognition of U.S participation in the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during with Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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Cope Tiger 24 Exercise Directors host media day

Published March 20, 2024
By Capt. Kaylin Hankerson
8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Korat Royal Air Force Base, Thailand --

Korat Royal Air Force Base, Thailand — Cope Tiger 2024 exercise directors hosted a media day event after completing a trilateral flight in Thailand airspace, March 19.

The exercise directors: Col. Jeffrey Shulman, U.S. Air Force director, Gp.Capt. Arnon Charusombat, Royal Thai Air Force director, and Col. Sebastian Chai, Republic of Singapore director, are each leading their respective nations' contributions to the annual exercise.

Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. — Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, left, U.S. Air Force exercise director, Gp.Capt. Arnon Charusombat, center, Royal Thai Air Force exercise director and Col. Sebastian Chai, Republic of Singapore director, gather for a photo after the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. — A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon, back, Royal Thai Air Force F-16A, center, and Republic of Singapore Air Force F-16C participate in the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover over during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

After completing a formation flight that brought together various airlift and fighter platforms from the three nations, the directors took questions from local media about the exercise.

“Thailand has one of the largest and most dynamic airspace that allows a higher degree of training… an experience we don't get many other places, said Shulman. “So for Thailand to host us, bring us all together to get better is quite the opportunity for all three countries.”

Cope Tiger, celebrating its 30th Anniversary, is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored exercise designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries.

This year, the exercise will feature 77 assets and more than 2,000 personnel that will engage in large-scale air defense and strike missions to hone and sharpen their operational competencies.

Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. — Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, left, U.S. Air Force exercise director, and Col. Sebastian Chai, right, Republic of Singapore director, shake hands after completing the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. — Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, left, U.S. Air Force exercise director, Gp.Capt. Arnon Charusombat, center, Royal Thai Air Force exercise director and Col. Sebastian Chai, Republic of Singapore director, standy for media queries upon completing the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. — U.S. Air Force Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, right, U.S. Air Force exercise director, renders a salute to Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee, chief of defense forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, after receiving a customized themed name tag in recognition of U.S participation in the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. — 240319-F-DU706-2040

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Broyles, left, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot and Col. Jeffrey D. Shulman, center, U.S. Air Force exercise director, greet Gp.Capt. Arnon Charusombat ค่า, Royal Thai Air Force exercise director, upon completing the “Friendship through the sky” trilateral flyover during Cope Tiger 2024 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Kingdom of Thailand, March 19, 2024. Cope Tiger 24 marks the 30th Anniversary of the exercise, originally designed to enhance combined multinational joint interoperability while concurrently aiming to enhance the strong defense relations among the three countries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Karla Parra)

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