CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines – U.S. Pacific Air Forces and Philippine Air Force members participated April 6-17 in Exercise Cope Thunder 26-1, aimed at strengthening partnerships and supporting the Philippine Air Force’s modernization efforts to promote regional and global stability.

More than 200 personnel participated in support of flight operations during the U.S. Pacific Air Forces-sponsored exercise that had primary flight operations over Basa Air Base, Philippines.

“For the Hawaii Air National Guard, this partnership is especially meaningful,” says Brig. Gen. Phillip Mallory, Hawaii Air National Guard commander. “We just celebrated 25 years as state partners with the Philippines and certainly look forward to the next 25 and beyond. This is the third time in the last four years that Hawaii-based F-22 Raptors have been to the Philippines.”

Hawaii and the Philippines are partners in the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.

Cope Thunder, which originated in the Philippines in 1976, relocated to Eielson Air Force Base in 1992 and was later rebranded as Red Flag Alaska. Resuming in the Philippines in 2023, this exercise offers a distinctive platform to integrate forces and enhance interoperability between the Philippine and United States air forces.

“This exercise represents far more than flight operations or tactical proficiency,” Mallory said. “The connections formed here between pilots, maintainers, planners and leaders are what make our partnership enduring and deep into the trust in our alliance to our Philippine partners. We are proud to stand and train alongside our Philippine partners.”

During this iteration of the exercise, the partnered forces will conduct subject matter expert exchanges and joint flight operations, demonstrating a shared vision of maintaining security, stability, prosperity and peace throughout the Indo-Pacific.