Cobra Gold 2023 draws to a close with live fire drills
The Cobra Gold military exercises, which this year saw 30 countries taking part, drew to a close yesterday.
The exercises are held annually and were co-hosted in Thailand by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) and the US Indo-Pacific Command.
This year’s closing ceremony at the Artillery Centre in Lop Buri’s Phatthana Nikhom district was presided over by Gen Chalermphon Srisawasdi, Chief of Defence Forces, and Major General Stephen G Smith, Commander of the US 7th Infantry Division.
Several top commanders from other nations taking part were also in attendance, according to an RTARF statement.
Prior to the closing ceremony, they observed the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (Calfex).
This exercise featured heavy weaponry and 609 participants from the Thai, American, Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian armed forces.
Drills included artillery preparation and supporting fire, air assault operations and medical evacuations. Key hardware included Thailand’s BTR wheeled armoured vehicles and F-16 fighters, as well as American F-16 fighters and HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, the RTARF statement said.
Cobra Gold 2023 kicked off on Feb 28 at the Royal Thai Naval Airbase at U-Tapao airport in Rayong and ran until yesterday.
It involved 7,394 personnel, of which about 6,000 were US military personnel.
The drills allow for the exchange of military know-how, doctrine, and technology and have broadened the experience of Thai and allied forces in joint and multilateral operations.
“This reflects our commitment to elevating cooperation and our relationships with participating nations to safeguard the stability and mutual interests of the region,” the statement said.