The Cobra Gold military exercises, a significant multinational event, commenced on Tuesday. The United States and Thailand jointly inaugurated the drills at the U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in eastern Thailand. Notably, this edition marks the largest post-pandemic gathering, with the participation of 30 nations.
The main exercises will involve seven countries, namely Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, besides the United States and Thailand. Noteworthy is the involvement of personnel from China, India, and Australia, albeit exclusively in drills focused on command structures for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
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The Cobra Gold military exercises are scheduled to continue until March 11, with humanitarian response drills initiated on February 4. This year’s participation has seen an increase, reaching 9,590 individuals, a roughly 30% rise from the previous year. Notably, the Japan Self-Defense Forces have contributed about 180 personnel.
The United States is the primary participant, dispatching over 4,200 personnel. The emphasis on pressuring China’s maritime expansionism in the South China Sea is evident in the U.S.’s substantial involvement. During the opening ceremony, Robert Godec, the U.S. ambassador to Thailand, highlighted the role of Cobra Gold in contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized the necessity for collaborative responses to complex challenges that extend beyond the capability of any single nation.
Indonesia and Malaysia, participating for the first time, are focusing on drills aimed at safeguarding their citizens.
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Cobra Gold, initiated in 1982 by the U.S. and Thailand to counter communism, has evolved into a comprehensive exercise covering land, air, and maritime domains. Additionally, it addresses contemporary challenges with drills on cyberattack responses and exercises related to outer space. The latter, introduced last year, involves simulating intelligence collection on terrestrial targets using satellites.
Originally a bilateral effort, Cobra Gold has progressively broadened its scope, encompassing more participant nations over time. Notably, the United States scaled back involvement following the Thai military’s government takeover in 2014. However, with Thailand’s return to civilian rule, the U.S. resumed full-scale participation.