U.S. airmen and Japan Air Self-Defense Forces next week will kick off Cope North, an air operations exercise at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam.
The exercise, scheduled to run Monday through Feb. 13, will involve members from the Japanese 601st Squadron at Misawa Air Base and the 6th Squadron at Tsuiki Air Base.
The U.S. Air Force will use F-16s from the 18th Aggressor Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, and B-52s currently deployed to Guam from the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
Navy EA-6Bs from Carrier Air Wing Five, at Atsugi, Japan, also will be used.
The exercise has been held since 1978.
This year marks the 10th time U.S. and Japan forces have held the exercise at Andersen. It’s is also the fourth time that the Self-Defense Forces will be using live ordinance.