374 AW participates in Cope North exercise

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina R. Menchaca
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Aircraft from around the Pacific region arrived Feb. 7, at Anderson Air Base, Guam, to participate in the Cope North exercise, an annual bilateral exercise conducted between the U.S. military and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

Participants from Yokota included personnel from the 374th Maintenance Group, 36th Airlift Squadron and 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron. Additionally, the base deployed several C-130 Hercules aircraft to take part in the two-week exercise.

Both the U.S. and Japan have been participating in the Cope North exercise since 1978.

"Yokota sends operators and maintainers for support of the exercise to perform daily missions, such as air drops and airlifts," said 2nd Lt. Bryan Tilos, 374th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "We also send maintenance personnel so that they can effectively support the mission."

The goal of the Cope North exercise is to strengthen military relationships between the U.S. and Japan as well as enhance the two countries operations in defense of Japan.

"Without the Cope North exercise, we wouldn't be able to sustain our mission," said Lieutenant Tilos, "so it is important that we exercise together with our Japanese counterparts on a regular basis."