RAYONG, Thailand: Thailand and the United States have begun joint army workouts with greater than 7,000 personnel and forces from 30 international locations, as a part of “Cobra Gold”, one of many world’s longest-running multilateral army workouts and the biggest in Southeast Asia.
After the drills have been scaled again through the pandemic, almost 6,000 U.S. troops will participate this yr, Admiral John Aquilino, Commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, stated, the best quantity in a decade.
Speaking to reporters, Aquilino famous, “We will conduct integrated ops across the land, sea, air and cyberspace with our partners.”
The workouts, which is able to run till March 10, display how international locations responding collectively would assist “to preserve a free and open Indo Pacific, so that all nations can maintain peace, stability and prosperity,” he stated.
This yr, the drills will embrace an area train for the primary time, with a deal with understanding the impression of aerial phenomena, akin to photo voltaic storms, on army operations, communication and satellites, a U.S. embassy assertion stated.
Cobra Gold entails seven full individuals, together with Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Indonesia.
China, India and Australia are participating within the humanitarian workouts.