Japan Air Self Defense Force arrives for Exercise Cope North 09-1
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Members of the Japan Air Self Defense Force wait outside of their C-130 Hercules after arriving here for participation in Exercise Cope North 09-1 Jan. 27. More than 60 JASDF members arrived in three C-130s to participate in Exercise Cope North 09-1, a regularly scheduled exercise scheduled for Feb. 2-13. Cope North is designed to enhance U.S. and Japanese air operations in defense of Japan. JASDF F-2s from the 6th Squadron, Tsuiki Air Base, Japan, and E-2Cs from the 601st Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan, will join forward deployed USAF F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 18th Aggressor Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska, B-52 Stratofortress' currently deployed to Andersen from the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, and Navy EA-6B from VAQ-136 Carrier Air Wing Five, Atsugi, Japan, will participate in this year's exercise with a focus on interoperability.
(U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald)