Troops from the Philippine Air Force and US Pacific Air Forces pose for a photo with a PAF FA-50 fighter jet (left) and a US F-16 fighter jet (right) as they start the Cope Thunder exercises at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Handout, Philippine Air Force/File

The Philippine and US air forces launched Cope Thunder, a joint exercises aimed at boosting operational coordination and enhancing “strategic deterrence.”

The joint drill will run April 7 until April 18, involved 729 airmen from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and 250 airmen from the US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF).

“Enhancing combat readiness and elevating joint mission effectiveness” would be central to the Cope Thunder exercise, Philippine Air Force commander Arthur Cordura said at a ceremony to launch the drills.

The Philippines’ FA-50 lead-in trainer fighter aircraft will fly alongside the United States’ F-16 fighter jets during the exercise. The PAF will also use its A-29B Super Tucanos, S-76A and S70i Black Hawk helicopters.

The drills follow months of confrontations between Beijing and Manila over disputed areas of the South China Sea, with significantly larger US-Philippine air, land and sea exercises set for late April.

Military ties between the Philippines and United States have deepened since the 2022 election of President Ferdinand Marcos, with Manila pushing back on sweeping Chinese claims in the South China Sea that an international tribunal has ruled are without merit.

The US State Department last week approved a long-mooted sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, though Manila said the deal was “still in the negotiation phase”.

Speaking at Monday’s ceremony, US Major General Christopher Sheppard said that “the pace of our alliance is accelerating”.

Cope Thunder aims to enhance “asymmetric warfare capabilities”, operational coordination and strategic deterrence, according to the Philippine Air Force.

“Further down the road, we look forward to the seamless transition to exercise Balikatan, which will continue to push the boundaries of our interoperability,” Cordura added.

Like the majority of Balikatan’s planned activities, Cope Thunder will be conducted on northern Luzon island, the area of the Philippines closest to Taiwan.

As China encircled Taiwan with planes and ships in a simulated blockade last week, Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner warned troops that their country would “inevitably” be involved should the self-ruled island be invaded.

Beijing insists Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to forcefully bring under its control.