U.S., India to begin Cope India bilateral exercise

  • Published
  • By Capt. Genieve David
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii (AFNS) --  Members of the U.S. and Indian air forces will train together during exercise Cope India Oct. 15 through 24 at Air Force Station Agra in Uttar Predesh, India.

This year's Cope India will be an airlift exercise that focuses on the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission. 

More than 150 American Airmen, along with four C-130 Hercules aircraft, one C-17 Globemaster III, will join Indian air force Airmen and one IL-76 Gajraj, four AN-32 Sutlejes, two MI-17 Prataps, and one Chetak Alouette III for the exercise.

"The U.S. Air Force looks forward to this opportunity to work with the Indian air force," said Raymond Bundschuh, the 13th Air Force lead planner for the exercise. "Exercises like Cope India strengthen solid military-to-military relationships with our air forces in the region as we train together."

Cope India participants will exchange airlift, airland and airdrop delivery techniques, participate in aeromedical and disaster management exercises, conduct cooperative flight operations, to include aircraft generation and recovery, low-level navigation, tactical airdrop, air-land missions, and conduct subject-matter-expert exchanges in the operations, maintenance and rigging disciplines.

This exercise continues to strengthen the bond between the U.S. and Indian air forces, and will be the fourth installment of Cope India.