The JASDF deployed F-15Js from the 6th Air Wing at Komatsu Air Base, Japan and E-2Cs from the JASDF's Northern Aircraft Control and Warning Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan. aircraft deploying to Guam for the exercise were F-16CGs from the 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska and an E-3B from the 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The previous time was in 1999, also held at Andersen. This marked the second time that Cope North was conducted outside of Japan.
Cope North Guam '00, which ran until June 3, was a regularly-scheduled bilateral exercise and is the latest in the bilateral exercise series designed to enhance both countries' air operations. Air Force and Japan Air Self Defense Force units conducted exercise Cope North Guam '00 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, beginning May 30. The ultimate goal of Cope North is to develop and improve techniques that enhance bilateral air operations for the purpose of being able to better provide for the defense of Japan. Exercising combined skills here gives us the chance to work on relationships both in the air and on the ground.
Tankers, AWACS, fighters and all the support elements from both countries work together toward enhancing their combat capabilities. Each benefited from the lessons of the mission.Ĭope North is both a challenging and educational event.
The aggressor talked about his plan and the defender spoke of his. The 10-minute debriefing during the helicopter flight payed big dividends. Americans and Japanese alternated attack and defense roles.įollowing each day's duels, Japanese pilots shuttle north to Kadena from their operating location at Naha Airport in a CH-47 helicopter for a comprehensive debrief with their American allies. As the scenario unfolds, packages grew larger and wartime rules were introduced. The first day included two-ship flights defending under peacetime rules of engagement. Typical training scenarios test pilots' ability to defend territory from intrusion. is obligated to assist in the defense of Japan. Under the Mutual Defense Treaty, the U.S. Cope North is all about the defense of Japan. Since the first Cope North exercise in 1978, thousands of American and Japanese airmen have honed skills vital to maintaining a high level of readiness. Cope North is one of the longest series of bilateral exercises held in the Pacific theater.
The TMNT movie toys leaned a little too heavily on aliens and monsters, so it would have been nice that the Global Mutant Missions were adding some more traditional foes, but alas it was not to be.The purpose of the Cope North exercise, held two to three times per year, is to enhance U.S. In addition to Jagwar, the other figures would have been a gorilla, a komodo dragon, and what Stephen Murphy seems to have mistaken for a Tasmanian devil but looks to us like the Archie Comics character Dreadmon, a jackal: So at this point, we're pretty confident in calling them cancelled. But there was no sign of them at Toy Fair 2008, with all the attention given over to the "Hasbro Heroes"-style Mini Mutants.
That meant four new mutant characters to go with the four globe-trotting brothers.īy the time Jagwar was cancelled, the line was down to six figures: all four Turtles dressed in gear from around the world, plus two villains, presumably being released individually. Playmates was planning to extend that idea, creating a series of four two-packs that would pair one of the Turtles with a secondary character from around the world. In the 2007 TMNT animated movie, Leonardo had gone to Central America to train. Remember when we told you about the cancellation of Jagwar? Well, it's been more than a year now, and while there's been no official word, it seems likely the entire line he was meant to be a part of has been quietly axed. Our figure today is Playmates Toys' TMNT "Global Mutant Missions" subline. This is the latest in a series (of indefinite length and regularity) of blog posts memorializing cancelled toys.