Pacific nations enhance airpower cooperation

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFPN) --  Forty-nine participants from 19 nations met here during the Pacific Rim Airpower Symposium Sept. 4 to 8 to build and enhance cooperation among the air forces of Pacific nations.

Co-hosted by the Indonesian Air Force and U.S. Pacific Air Forces' Kenney Headquarters, this year's event included the most participating nations since the series was instituted more than 10 years ago.

There were delegates from Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the United States. 

Symposium briefings included presentations from participating nations, and representatives were able to discuss their air force's unique circumstances, capabilities and challenges. The discussions laid the foundation for more meetings and provided a venue to build upon through activities, including participating in bilateral and multilateral exercises as observers or force providers, conducting full-spectrum operations in humanitarian relief and disaster response and combating terrorism. 

According to conference officials, the air forces of the Asia-Pacific region can better work together toward mutually beneficial goals through such exchanges.

"The PACRIM Airpower Symposium provides a great opportunity for us to interface with many of the nations we work with in peacetime and will want to work with during contingency operations," said Maj. Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr., Kenney Headquarters commander, who led the U.S. delegation.

"It provides a forum to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest to air forces of the Pacific Rim nations," he said. "We are engaged and will continue to be engaged in the Pacific."

(Courtesy of 13th Air Force Public Affairs)