Cope Taufan provides unique training experience for U.S., RMAF airmen

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Matt Summers
  • Cope Taufan 12 Public Affairs
TUDM BUTTERWORTH AIR BASE, Malaysia --  Describing Cope Taufan 2012 as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity, several 67th Fighter Squadron pilots are relishing the chance to not only enhance readiness and combined and joint interoperability with the Royal Malaysian Air Force, but also to fly with and against some of the RMAF's top-line fighters -- the Su-30MKM Flanker, MiG-29N Fulcrum and the F/A-18D.

"At Kadena we simulate other aircraft with another F-15," said Capt. Tony May, 67th FS F-15C pilot based at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and one of the very few U.S. Air Force pilots to fly against the Su-30MKM in training. "Ninety-five percent of us have never seen these aircraft in the air -- it's pretty awesome."

Lt.Col. Andy Shobe, 67th FS detachment commander, said the United States has the desire and will to foster relationships with many Southeast Asian nations and from an Air Force perspective the best way to exchange ideas and tactics is a large-scale exercise such as Cope Taufan 2012.

"The best way to do it is to get together, meet in one location and run through these missions," he said. "The planners have taken the best parts of previous exercises and integrated them into Cope Taufan 2012."

The Pacific Air Forces-sponsored live-flying exercise, which ends April 13, includes dissimilar basic fighter manuever and dissimilar air combat tactics training and for the first time ever, combat search and rescue training.

The colonel said exercise planners used the building-block approach, starting off with one aircraft versus another showcasing basic fighter manuevers and eventually building up to two-, four- and six-ship formations against much larger forces.

Exercise participants include F-15Cs from the 67th FS and four types of aircraft from the RMAF. These include the Su-30MKM, a fourth generation fighter introduced in 2007, the MiG-29N -introduced in 1995, the F/A-18D, and the Hawk 208, a multirole aircraft.

"As an air-to-air squadron we look forward to flying against and also integrating with other types of aircraft," Shobe said. "The best training is as close to combat as possible."
The colonel said instrumentation pods and onboard instrumentation carried by aircraft participating in the exercise allow pilots to replay sorties during debriefs.

"We say the real learning comes in debrief," he said. "That's when you can see the big picture of what took place.

"We can put everyone's situational awareness together - stop it in time - and see how the other side is reacting and learn from each other," he added.
RMAF Maj. Ajuar Bin Arrifin, No 1 Air Division Headquarters, said the training is invaluable to the RMAF.

"This exercise further enhances our knowledge and skills in combat -- especially in large-force employment," he said.

Despite flying different airframes, the colonel said flying comes down to pitting man-plus- machine against another man-plus-machine.

"We talk about staying away from the adversary's strengths and exploiting his weaknesses," he said.

Pacific Air Forces has conducted exercises with the RMAF since the early 1980s. By participating in exercises with military forces from partner nations in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States demonstrates its commitment to peace and stability in the region.

Malaysia, with a population of more than 27 million in an area slightly greater in size than New Mexico , has an Air Force of nearly 15,000 personnel with more than 35 combat aircraft.