Philippines and U.S. begin joint air drills to boost regional defence ties

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) have launched a new round of joint air exercises under 'Cope Thunder Philippines 2025,' highlighting deepening military cooperation between the two allies.

The latest iteration of the drills began Monday at Clark Air Base in Pampanga province with an opening ceremony led by Lieutenant General Arthur M. Cordura of the PAF and Lieutenant Colonel Bryan E. Mussler from PACAF.

Scheduled to run from 7–18 July, the bilateral exercise will take place across northern Luzon, focusing on interoperability, joint tactics and operational coordination.

The Philippine Air Force has deployed 2,301 personnel and a range of aircraft, including FA-50PH jets, A-29B Super Tucanos and several helicopter variants. The U.S. side is contributing 225 personnel and F-35 fighter jets to strengthen joint capabilities.

Training will also include subject matter expert exchanges and field training exercises at key sites, emphasising enhanced readiness and cooperation in real-world scenarios.

The PAF described the exercise as a key milestone in advancing its modernisation goals and promoting regional stability across the Indo-Pacific.

This is the second round of Cope Thunder exercises held this year; the first took place from 8–19 April.

The Philippines is the U.S.’s oldest military ally in the Asia-Pacific. Under a mutual defence treaty, U.S. forces have access to Philippine military bases and regularly conduct joint drills across land, sea and air domains.

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