Cobra Gold 18: Exercise Cobra Gold opening ceremony
Forces from all seven nations participating in Exercise Cobra Gold 2018 stand in formation during the opening ceremony Feb. 13, 2018, at U-Tapao International Airport, Ban Chang district, Rayong province, Thailand. Cobra Gold 18 provides a venue for both United States and partner nations to advance interoperability and increase partner capacity in planning and executing complex and realistic multinational force and combined task force operations. The annual exercise is conducted in the Kingdom of Thailand held from Feb. 13-23 with seven full participating nations.
Cobra Gold 18: Exercise Cobra Gold opening ceremony
Marines from the Royal Thai Marine Corps Security Regiment stand in formation during the opening ceremony of Cobra Gold 18 at U-Tapao International Airport, Ban Chang district, Rayong province, Thailand, Feb. 13, 2018. Cobra Gold 18 is an annual exercise conducted in the Kingdom of Thailand and runs from Feb. 13-23 with seven full participating nations.
Cobra Gold 18: Royal Thai, US forces observe efforts made by local village to stop elephant stampedes
U.S. service members deliver bags of rice and potatoes to the Ban Na Isan Village in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2018 in Chachoengsao, Kingdom of Thailand, Jan. 31, 2018. Both Royal Thai and U.S. Armed Forces observed the efforts made by the villagers to prevent future elephant stampedes and donated several bags of rice and potatoes to the village. Cobra Gold 18 is an annual exercise conducted in the Kingdom of Thailand and runs from Feb. 13-23 with up to nine nations participating.
Cobra Gold 18 | 1st MAW arrives to Thailand in support of CG18
U.S. Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 ‘Wolfpack’ unload a CH-53E Super Stallion on the runway at U-Tapao International Airport, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 10, 2018. HMH-466 ‘Wolfpack’ arrive to the Kingdom of Thailand to participate in the 37th iteration of Cobra Gold as part of the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Combat Element. The Super Stallion is assigned to HMH-466, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, currently forward deployed under the unit deployment program with MAG-36, 1st MAW, based out of Okinawa, Japan. Exercise Cobra Gold 2018 is an annual exercise conducted in the Kingdom of Thailand held from Feb. 13-23 with seven full participating nations.
Cobra Gold 18
Cobra Gold is one of the largest theater security cooperation exercises in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region and is an integral part of the U.S. commitment to strengthen engagement in the region. The 37th iteration of the annual Exercise Cobra Gold 2018 takes place January to February 23, 2018 at various locations throughout the Kingdom of Thailand.
By Sgt. 1st Class Jason Kriess / Published Feb. 14, 2018
CHONBURI PROVINCE, Thailand -- The commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Gen. Thanchaiyan Srisuwan, Mr. Glyn T. Davies, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, and Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commander, III Marine Expeditionary Force, led the opening ceremony for Exercise Cobra Gold at the Royal Thai Naval Aviation Division, U-Tapao International Airport, Sattahip district, Chonburi province, Tuesday Feb. 13, 2018. They were joined by the ambassadors of Japan and the Republic of Korea and representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Exercise Cobra Gold is the one of the largest military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region. This is the 37th iteration of the exercise and is co-sponsored by the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the U.S. Armed Forces. The exercise represents the longstanding friendship between the Thai and the American people.
The objective of the exercise is to advance regional security and ensure effective responses to regional crises by bringing together a robust multinational force to address shared goals and security commitments in the Indo-Pacific region. Exercise Cobra Gold 18 supports a stronger military relationship between the Royal Thai Armed Forces and other nations.
This year, Exercise Cobra Gold has seven countries fully participating: Thailand, United States of America, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
This year the exercise will take place from Feb. 13-23 and will focus on three major components; a Command Post Exercise (CPX), Field Training Exercise (FTX), and Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) exercise.
Cobra Gold seeks to improve the capabilities of participating nations to plan and conduct combined and joint operations; build relationships among participating nations across the region; and improve interoperability over a range of activities, including enhancing maritime security and responding to large-scale natural disasters.
