Exercise Cope West 25 (CW25) was conducted Sept. 8–12 at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, Indonesia. The Pacific Air Forces-led exercise aimed to bolster interoperability and deepen ties between the U.S. and Indonesian Air Forces through joint tactical training.
Participation and Deployment
Approximately 120 U.S. service members deployed from Kadena Air Base, Japan, Yokota Air Base, Japan, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Together with their Indonesian counterparts, they conducted exchanges in maintenance, flight operations, and medical tactics.
Airpower in Action
This year’s exercise highlighted joint flying operations featuring U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles and Indonesian F-16s.
- Maj. John Blozinski, U.S. Air Force CW25 project officer, emphasized the importance of testing limits and ensuring air dominance alongside partners.
- Lt. Col. Bambang Aulia Yudhistira, Indonesian Air Force CW25 project officer, praised the rapid progress achieved within five days, underscoring the importance of flying and fighting as one unit.
Strategic Significance
The exercise reinforced three critical objectives:
- Regional Security: Strengthening defense cooperation to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.
- Military Modernization: Advancing training and capabilities through shared expertise.
- Future Readiness: Building long-term credibility of combined airpower in the region.
Partnership for the Future
Both officers stressed that Cope West is more than an exercise; it is a foundation for future collaboration. Blozinski noted that the partnership ensures tomorrow’s airpower credibility, while Yudhistira expressed enthusiasm for hosting the exercise and looked forward to future engagements.
