Thailand and US launch Asia's largest military exercise

There will be 29 countries with more than 12,000 soldiers participating in the annual Cobra Gold 2018 exercise at Thai army bases.

This is the 37th annual multilateral exercise. Cobra Gold 2018, co-hosted by Thailand and the United States from February 13-23, will take place at the Thai army bases of Surathampitak and Suranaree.

The 36th Cobra Gold exercise.

In addition, activities involving the air force will be held in Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 200km northeast of Bangkok. The opening ceremony of the exercise will still take place at the Sattahip Naval Base, in Chonburi province on February 13.

In an announcement issued by the Royal Thai Armed Forces on October 19, seven countries will participate in all exercises, including the United States, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia. Ten other countries will participate as observers.

The two largest countries in Asia, China and India, will also participate in the exercise, but only in small parts, and the organizers have not yet determined which exercises the two countries will participate in this year. It is expected that each country will send about 44 personnel to Thailand to participate in the exercise.

The United States is the country sending the largest number of military personnel, with an expected number of 5,800, along with a large amount of equipment including 6 F-16CM aircraft, 10 F-18D aircraft, and C130J and C130H transport and troop transport aircraft. In addition, the USS Bonhomme Richartd amphibious ship will also participate in the exercise.

The 2018 Cobra Gold exercise is expected to be larger in scale and number than in 2017. In 2017, the 36th Cobra Gold took place with the theme of dealing with regional and global security challenges with the participation of the highest official, Commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris./.

According to VOV