Thailand Hosts War Games With Biggest US Attendance in Decade

[buksida]

Thailand kicked off an international military exercise with the biggest US attendance in a decade as Washington seeks to build on ties with a key security partner at a time of rising global geopolitical competition with Beijing.

The Cobra Gold military drill in Thailand, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 10, is the largest joint military exercise in mainland Asia involving 30 countries. It has been running for more than four decades and this year was billed as a return to full-scale drills after the pandemic.

More than 6,000 US military personnel will be attending the war games — the biggest showing in a decade and Admiral John Aquilino, the top commander for the Indo-Pacific region, is participating in a sign of renewed US-Thai security ties, said America’s envoy to Thailand Robert Godec.

“Cobra Gold helps build interoperability, advances our common interests, and serves as a demonstration of our dedication to our allies and partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Godec said at the opening ceremony of the war games in Rayong province, east of Bangkok.

Cobra Gold is an indicator on the strength of US-Thai ties in recent years, with Washington’s criticism of the Thai coup in 2014 by army general-turned-premier Prayuth Chan-Ocha resulting in a downgraded presence at subsequent joint drills.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... -in-decade

China wont be too happy about that ...

[sateeb]

Thailand kicked off an international military exercise with the biggest US attendance in a decade as Washington seeks to build on ties with a key security partner at a time of rising global geopolitical competition with Beijing.

The Cobra Gold military drill in Thailand, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 10, is the largest joint military exercise in mainland Asia involving 30 countries. It has been running for more than four decades and this year was billed as a return to full-scale drills after the pandemic.

More than 6,000 US military personnel will be attending the war games — the biggest showing in a decade and Admiral John Aquilino, the top commander for the Indo-Pacific region, is participating in a sign of renewed US-Thai security ties, said America’s envoy to Thailand Robert Godec.

“Cobra Gold helps build interoperability, advances our common interests, and serves as a demonstration of our dedication to our allies and partners in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Godec said at the opening ceremony of the war games in Rayong province, east of Bangkok.

Cobra Gold is an indicator on the strength of US-Thai ties in recent years, with Washington’s criticism of the Thai coup in 2014 by army general-turned-premier Prayuth Chan-Ocha resulting in a downgraded presence at subsequent joint drills.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... -in-decade

China wont be too happy about that ...

Pattaya will

[sateeb]

4 engined military jet(Hercules?) just flew quite low over my place heading south possibly landing at PKK airfield.

Edit.. 2 more,even lower heading south. Didn't look like USAF markings.

edit..now 6. Yellow stripe on the tail fin.

091209-F-4800M-002.jpg

(191.02 KiB) Downloaded 498 times

similar but higher up

[Scout]

I just watched the 9th and 10th planes flying low over Wat Khao Yai area, looks to me like they are C-17 aircraft, no visible markings. They come by in pairs, each pair a few minutes behind the previous pair.

[Scout]

11th and 12th just passed, all heading south.

[Scout]

11th and 12th just passed, all heading south.

Numbers 13 and 14 just passed.

[Scout]

11th and 12th just passed, all heading south.

Numbers 13 and 14 just passed.

15 and 16 just passed.

[Scout]

11th and 12th just passed, all heading south.

Numbers 13 and 14 just passed.

15 and 16 just passed.

17 and 18, these were a bit higher.

[Motyduke]

they are the same...just making loops !