Bangladesh-US air forces to conduct joint exercise between February 20-25

The air forces of Bangladesh and the US will conduct a joint air exercise between Feb 20-25. The six-day long Pacific Air Forces-sponsored, bilateral tactical airlift exercise ‘Cope South 22’ will be conducted at BAF Kurmitola Cantonment, Dhaka, and Operating Location-Alpha, Sylhet, Bangladesh, said a statement of the Pacific Air Forces.

Approximately 77 US Airmen along with two US Air Force C-130J Super Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron (AS) will join approximately 300 Bangladesh armed forces members and 2 Bangladeshi C-130Js for the exercise. 

During the exercise flight operations like aircraft generation and recovery, daytime low-level navigation, tactical airdrop, and air-land missions will be conducted. Subject-matter expert exchanges in the operations, maintenance and rigging career fields will also take place during this period. 

The aim of the exercise is to improve interoperability with the Bangladesh air force and to support the armed forces of Bangladesh’s long-term modernization efforts in order to maintain regional stability, said the statement.

Lt Col Kira Coffey, 36 AS Director of Operations said that the Bangladesh air force was one of the most important regional partners. He said Cope South allows strengthening of this partnership through tactical airlift sorties and subject matter expert exchanges. Lt. Col Kira Coffey said that this year’s Cope South will be the first interatin since the start of the pandemic.