The US and Indian air forces will train together during the next installment of the Cope India exercise that begins on Thursday and runs through Oct. 24 at Air Force Station Agra in Uttar Predesh, India. This year’s activities will focus on airlift to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief support. More than 150 USAF airmen, along with one C-17, three C-130Hs, and one C-130J, will travel to India to train with their Indian counterparts. “Exercises like Cope India strengthen solid military-to-military relationships with our air forces in the region,” said Raymond Bundschuh, lead planner for the exercise with 13th Air Force at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. (Hickam report by Capt. Genieve David)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
