U.S., Japanese controllers worked in tandem during Cope North exercises
By Donovan Brooks, Guam
bureau chief
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE — U.S. and Japanese air controllers
working together to direct fighter jets performing dogfights over Guam and the Marianas
highlighted this year’s Cope North exercises, organizers say.
Controllers working side by side in the same AWACS plane — a
first for Cope North participants — is something that will improve working
relationships, said Col. Don Weckhorst, this year’s exercise director.
The ability of different agencies to work together to meet a common
objective is critical, he said, considering the strategic nature of the defense treaty
between the United States and Japan.
U.S. and Japanese air forces have been taking part in Cope North
since 1978. This was the third year the training was held on Guam.
About 35 aircraft and 550 crewmembers from the U.S. Air Force, U.S.
Marine Corps and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force trained for two weeks in defensive
combat flying.
“This has been the biggest Cope North on Guam,” Weckhorst
said.
This year, bigger means better.
Some new training introduced this year:
Japan’s newest AWACS planes were deployed outside Japan.
Japanese controllers called the shots from the American E-3B aircraft
and U.S. controllers did the same aboard the JASDF E767. Controllers had to keep track of
as many as 20 jet fighters, in teams of “good guys” and “bad guys,”
testing their combat tactics.
AWACS controllers were given rides in two-seat F-16s to gain insight
into how the pilots think while in the air. “They get to see how we process
information,” Weckhorst said.
Marine Corps aviators in EA6-B aircraft worked to disrupt
communications between teams of aggressors and defenders.
Weather played the role of a spoiler this year.
Exercise planners planned to fly 550 combat aircraft sorties, but
thunderstorms and heavy rain led to the cancellation of one aircraft-takeoff period,
limiting the number of flights to 520, Weckhorst said.
A Japanese E767 with about 20 people aboard was struck by lightning
June 19, but no damage or injury occurred.
Weckhorst, commander of the 605th Air Operations Group at Yokota Air
Base, Japan, said he’d like to see the AWACS cross-training continue at next
year’s Cope North.
Having more opportunities for American and Japanese jets to
“fight” a mock hostile third party is also on Weckhorst’s wish list.
This year, for eight of 10 exercise days, Japanese and American
planes flew against each other.
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