U.S., Singaporean aircraft maintainers work together at Cope Tiger 13

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jake Bailey
  • Cope Tiger 13 Public Affairs
KORAT ROYAL THAI AIR FORCE BASE, Thailand --  Airmen from the U.S. Air Force and Republic of Singapore Air Force shared aircraft maintenance expertise on the flightline here March 12, as part of Exercise Cope Tiger 13.

Crew chiefs, avionics specialists and quality assurance inspectors from each nation discovered common ground in their vital link to generate the flying mission as they looked over U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagles and the RSAF's variant - the F-15SG.

Though the models of the aircraft differ, the F-15 aircraft contributes to both nations' ability to project air power throughout Southeast Asia. The expertise exchange was designed to increase mutual understanding and increase the ability of each nation to operate in combined environments.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Corey Henry, an armament technician assigned to the 44th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Kadena Air Base, Japan, found the exchange helpful in understanding the unique challenges each countries' F-15 maintainers face in preparing the aircraft for deployed flying operations.

"I was impressed with how well their job specialty combines many functions," Henry said when speaking of the RSAF maintainers. "They have to deal with pretty much the whole aircraft which is challenging."

During the exchange, the maintainers respected each other's technical job knowledge.

"We see each other operating across the flight line every day from far away, but being able to meet with them one-on-one and talk about our jobs and share our experience working with the aircraft is great," said Tech. Sgt. Luis Marrero, a quality assurance inspector assigned to the 18th Maintenance Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan.

Airmen from the Republic of Singapore had positive things to say about the experience.

"This exercise gives me an excellent opportunity to interact with my U.S. Air Force counterparts on a personal level, share professional knowledge about aircraft maintenance and at the same time, bring our working relationship closer," said ME3 Nick Tan, an RSAF engineer.

Marrero agreed.

"We speak a common language as maintainers and that is making the mission happen," Marrero said.