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Cope North 2019: Allied Aeromedical Evacuations

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jake Barreiro
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
After a short pause caused by record-breaking super typhoon Wutip, the United States, Australia, and Japan were right back to business for Cope North 2019. The second week of the exercise had the three allied nations working together on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and its neighboring islands in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. Despite the typhoon-caused delay, they were able to quickly establish a bare base and open a contingency runway in response to simulated disasters and emergencies. On Feb. 27, service members from the U.S., Royal Australian Air Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force exercised their Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief skills together on Tinian by providing emergency medical care and secure transportation for simulated patients. The activities, which called for medical care under duress, included the use of aircraft from Andersen AFB, to include MH-60 helicopters from the U.S. Navy’s Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25, as well as C-130Hs from the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.