In a key step toward bolstering trilateral military cooperation, Japan’s F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters are set to train alongside American and Australian F-35s in the skies over Guam next month.
The joint exercise, known as Cope North, marks the first time all three nations’ fifth-generation fighters will operate together.
According to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), the exercise will take place from February 3 to 21 at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
The two-week drill, focused on air combat and large-force employment, aims to enhance interoperability between the participating forces and improve their collective ability to conduct complex operations.
Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura, JASDF’s chief of staff, said that the event offers an opportunity for the air forces to refine their skills in dealing with opponents possessing similar capabilities.
On January 23, at a press conference, Uchikura said, “Also, this will be a good opportunity to train how to deal with opponents with the same capabilities.”
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The exercise is seen as a critical step in strengthening combat readiness as the three allies share common values in promoting security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Japan is sending six of its F-35As, along with two E-2D Advanced Hawkeye command and control planes and a KC-46A Pegasus tanker, to participate in the exercise.
The Japanese contingent, which includes approximately 250 personnel, will be drawn from Japan’s 3rd Air Wing and the Airborne Warning and Control Wing at Misawa Air Base, as well as the 3rd Tactical Airlift Group at Miho Air Base in the country’s southwest.
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“We share universal values and strategies with the U.S. and Australia, and through this exercise, we can show the strong ties between the three countries to ensure peace and stability in the region and will help to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Gen. Uchikura added.
Growing F-35 Interoperability
The upcoming exercise is part of a broader, multinational field training initiative sponsored by the US Pacific Air Forces.
It will focus on improving fifth-generation interoperability between the US, Australian, and Japanese air forces, with activities set to occur both at Andersen Air Force Base and in the surrounding airspace.
Cope North, which first debuted in 1978, has evolved over the years to include more multinational participation. Initially held in Japan, it moved to Guam in 1999 to accommodate larger-scale training.
The exercise was originally designed to enhance combat capabilities and improve integration between the US and Japan’s air forces, but it has since expanded to include Australia as well.
According to the Pacific Air Forces, “The exercise focuses on conducting Combat Air Force/ Large Force Employment, or CAF/LE training, in a contemporary scenario to enhance trilateral fifth-generation interoperability.”
The focus on boosting the interoperability of fifth-generation fighter jets highlights the increasing importance of multilateral collaboration in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
In recent years, the participation of Japanese F-35s alongside US and Australian forces has grown significantly. In 2023, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) made its first overseas deployment of two F-35 fighters, choosing Australia as their destination.
Shingo Nagata, a visiting researcher at the Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University, Japan, pointed out that this deployment of Japanese F-35s to Australia went beyond just participation in exercises.
Nagata said that the flight to the base itself was a key preparatory operation designed to lay the foundation for future deployments of Japanese F-35s to Australian soil.
The ability to rapidly relocate F-35s to Australia could prove valuable in a wartime scenario, as Japan, the US, and Australia continue to deepen their collective defense efforts. Japan’s access to allied air force bases provides the strategic advantage of dispersion.
Given that China can target airfields within thousands of kilometers of its borders using cruise and ballistic missiles, Japanese air bases and even civilian airports could be incapacitated in a conflict. In such a scenario, JASDF units would need to relocate to other facilities.
Moreover, Guam, with Andersen Air Force Base, offers greater survivability compared to US air bases in Japan, as it is located farther from China, providing a better buffer against potential threats.
However, despite these advantages, Guam is not immune to vulnerabilities. The increasing recognition of these risks has already prompted the United States to explore additional alternative facilities, such as Wake Island, which would provide a more expansive buffer against potential enemy strikes.
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