War games between US, PH air force set in April

Philippine Air Force’s FA-50 and US Air Force’s B-52H bomber aircraft fly over the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone on February 19, 2024, 90 nautical miles west of Candon, Ilocos Sur; and 50 nautical miles northwest of Lubang, Mindoro. (PHOTO FROM THE PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE)

MANILA, Philippines — The war games between the air forces of the Philippines and the United States are set to be conducted next month.

“In terms of the Philippine Air Force, they are now preparing for the Cope Thunder 2024-1 which will be conducted in April,” said Col. Francel Margareth Padilla, who is the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) spokesperson, during a regular press briefing.

Details are still thin for this year’s Cope Thunder, except that the AFP and US Pacific Air Forces will conduct joint and combined sea, air, and ground exercises.

READ: After ‘Balikatan’ comes ‘Cope Thunder’ revival

The first-ever iteration of Cope Thunder since its return was held last year.

Cope Thunder started in the Philippines in 1976 and went on until 1990.

The exercises were discontinued after the US military left Clark Field and Subic Bay in 1991 due to damage from the Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption in June that year and also after the Philippine Senate voted against extending the lease on US military facilities in the country.