Exercise COPE NORTH will have US, Japan, Australian participation Published Feb. 3, 2012 13th Air Force Public Affairs Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii -- The U.S. Air Force, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force will conduct exercise COPE NORTH 2012 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam Feb. 12 to 24, 2012. The exercise is the latest in a series of multilateral exercises designed to enhance each country's air operations. The RAAF will be attending COPE NORTH for the first time, and their participation will further enhance regional partners' preparedness. The United States will have approximately 400 participants, the JASDF will have approximately 330 participants, and the RAAF will have approximately 300 participants. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises, and strike mission training will be conducted during the first week of the exercise. Dissimilar air combat tactics and large force employment training will be the focus of the second week. Additionally, JASDF will conduct surface attack tactics training on the Farallon de Medinilla range. Since the first COPE NORTH exercise in 1978 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, thousands of American and Japanese airmen have honed skills that are vital to maintaining a high level of readiness. This is the 83rd COPE NORTH, which is held as often as twice a year.