Dhaka, 25 February:- A six-day long combined exercise titled ‘Exercise Cope South-2022’ with the participation of Bangladesh Air Force and Pacific Air Force, USA under the direction of the Armed Forces Division and management of Bangladesh Air Force ends at Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu on Friday (25 February 2022). Air Officer Commanding of BAF Base Bangabandhu Air Vice Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan delivered the closing speech and participated in the photo session with the participants. In the closing ceremony among others Charge d’Affaires of US Embassy Helen LaFave and senior military and civilian officials of US Pacifice Air Foce including BAF participants and high officials of all three services were present. The exercise started on 20 February 2022 at Bangladesh Air Force Base Bangabandhu.
Pacific Air Force, USA conducts various training exercises in response to natural disasters in different parts of the world every year. As Bangladesh is a coastal and low lying riverine country, it is prone to various natural disasters every year. Transport aircrafts of Bangladesh Air Force are extensively used to distribute relief items in the disaster affected areas during natural disaster. In ‘Exercise Cope South’ various exercises are conducted mainly to deal with natural disasters and emergencies to ensure maximum utilization of Bangladesh Air Force transport aircraft. During ‘Exercise Cope South-2022’ a C-130J transport aircraft, an AN-32 transport aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force and two C-130J transport aircraft of the Pacific Air Force, USA along with 200 members of Bangladesh Air Force and 60 members of Pacific Air Force participated in the exercise. In addition, 55 members of the para-commando brigade of Bangladesh Army and 12 paratroopers of Bangladesh Navy also participated in this exercise.
This Combined Exercise was focused on enhancement of the capability, exchange of training, assessment of the functional suitability of various equipments and maintenance of transport aircrafts between Bangladesh Air Force and US Pacific Air Force.
