Cope North Tests US, Japanese Air Assets

Among the aircraft participating in the 81st iteration of Cope North, which concludes Feb. 19, are USAF B-52 bombers and F-16 aggressors, US Navy EA-6B electronic attack aircraft, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s and E-2s. US and Japanese forces have engaged in the annual two-week exercise, which stages out of Andersen AFB, Guam, since 1978. The B-52s are deployed to Andersen from Barksdale AFB, La., as part of a normal strategic presence rotation to the Pacific. The F-16 aggressor force is from Eielson AFB, Alaska. (From Andersen, Feb. 10 photo release, Feb. 11 photo release, and Feb. 15 photo release)