Cope North 23: Trilateral integration at Iwo Jima strengthens capabilities
A team of U.S. Air Force, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and Royal Australian Air Force members pose for a photo with a U.S. C-130J Super Hercules from the 36th Airlift Squadron (right), and a JMSDF C-130H Hercules during the Cope North 23 exercise, on the remote island of Iwo Jima, Japan, Feb. 21, 2023. Combat offloads are manual airlift cargo drop methods to safely move cargo pallets without the assistance of heavy equipment, which is useful for delivering cargo to temporary landing strips or for quickly offloading in contested areas. Cope North 23 is a multi-lateral U.S. Pacific Air Forces-sponsored field training exercise focused on trilateral airborne integration for Large Force Employment, Agile Combat Employment, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Lackey)