Cobra Gold

Royal Thai and U.S. military training together during Cobra Gold 2020

Cobra Gold was first held in 1982, and has served to improve coordination between the armed forces of the United States and Thailand in both hostile military and humanitarian efforts.[1]

It also had the goal of strengthening ties between the U.S. and Thailand, the oldest ally of the United States in the South Asia region.[2] More recently, Cobra Gold has served a humanitarian mission, as military personnel delivers health care to the local Thai population, and as a testing ground for new battlefield technologies such as solar-powered weaponry.[2]

As of 2020, Cobra Gold has several distinct activities that highlight regional security and effective responses to regional crises. The first is the Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise (CALFEX), in which live ammunition is aimed at predetermined targets as troops advance and close in on their target.

A Command Post Exercise (CPX), in which military officers engage in computerized war games, disaster relief, or humanitarian missions over several days. An Amphibious Exercise (AMPHIBEX) combines the capabilities of ship-to-shore movement with vertical envelopment between the Royal Thai Armed Forces and U.S. military, with allied forces dependent on operational developments.

A Cyber Exercise (CYBEREX) demonstrates the multinational interaction and exchange in a scenario based on rehearsing defensive cyber operations. Ongoing activities are various humanitarian civic activities, assisting the local Thai population throughout the kingdom.[3]^:226–228

In 2020, Cobra Gold introduced a landmine reduction operation as well as the participation of the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft and the high mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS). The goal of these new additions was to enhance security cooperation and advance interoperability to increase partner capacity in planning and executing complex and realistic multinational force and combined task force operations.

U.S. Marines assault the beach as part of the amphibious beach landing at Hat Yao Beach, Thailand, during Cobra Gold 2020

Cobra Gold expanded to include 27 nations as of 2020,[4] including Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and other South Asian and Pacific Ocean countries. China was admitted to Cobra Gold exercises for the first time in 2015 as well, although Chinese military forces were only allowed to participate in humanitarian assistance training.[1] Most nations participate in Cobra Gold as observers rather than participants.[5] In 2020, the following countries participated in the exercise: [6]

• Participants: the United States, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, and Malaysia
• Observers: Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Israel, Vietnam, Germany, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Sweden
• Multinational Planning Augmentation Team: Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Nepal, the Philippines, Fiji, and New Zealand
• Others: China and India.[7]

U.S. Marines participate in the amphibious beach landing at Hat Yao Beach, Thailand during Cobra Gold 2020

Participants in Cobra Gold 2013 included the United States, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. Twenty other nations participated in observer status. For the first time, Burma joined the exercise (as an observer). Exercises held during Cobra Gold 2013 included an amphibious landing involving ground assault fighter jets, attack helicopters, and landing craft; mock military raids involving small boats and helicopters; a practice evacuation involving civilian populations; a combined arms exercise held while live fire occurred overhead and nearby; and training in biological, chemical, jungle, nuclear, and radiological warfare.[8]

Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III, commander of the United States Pacific Command, described Cobra Gold as "the Pacific's signature exercise" in 2014, and noted that it was among the largest multinational military exercises in which U.S. armed forces participate.[5]

The United States reduced its participation in Cobra Gold 2015 to signal its disapproval of the military coup which occurred in Thailand in 2014. The U.S. sent 3,600 troops to the exercise in 2015, down from 4,300 in 2014.[1] The U.S. also canceled the exercise in which troops practiced under live fire during an amphibious landing. However, American military forces did participate in a civilian evacuation training exercise, and the operation of U.S. troops information in the field in cooperation with the military forces of other nations.[1] Nevertheless, more than 13,000 military personnel from six nations actively participated in Cobra Gold 2015, while other nations participated as observers.[4]

U.S. and Royal Thai Marines learn jungle survival techniques during Cobra Gold 2020

The United States postponed its participation in a March 2015 meeting with Thailand to begin planning for Cobra Gold 2016. American military officials indicated they might cancel the exercise outright as a protest against continuing military rule in Thailand.[4]

U.S. Marine assault amphibious vehicles (AAVs) during an amphibious beach landing during Cobra Gold 2020

In 2017, there were 29 nations that participated in Cobra Gold either directly or as observers. This marked the 36th anniversary of the Cobra Gold exercise co-hosted by Thailand and the United States.[9] Cobra Gold 2017 aimed to improve capabilities among the participating nations, joint operation, civic action [10] and to improve the relationship between Thailand and the United States after the Thai power seizure in 2014 caused Thai-US relations to deteriorate. Additionally, Cobra Gold 2017 aimed to improve capabilities among the participating nations through joint operations and civic action [11] The field exercises included a variety of training methods, such as Amphibious Assault Demonstration,[12] EOD mission, Close Air Support (CAS)[13] and Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX), which is an exercise on strategical engagement by using various types of weapons.[14]

In civic action, which included humanitarian assistance and Non-combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO). NEO was led by Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) [12] during disaster relief operations. A NEO is primarily used to move noncombatant personnel from dangerous areas usually caused by natural disaster [15]

For 2018, the US urged to remove Myanmar as observers due to the Rohingya conflict.[16]

U.S. Marine F-35Bs conducting flight operations during Cobra Gold 2020

There are 27 nations from around the world who participated in the 39th iteration of Cobra Gold, from February 25 to March 6, 2020. Similar to previous years, Cobra Gold 20 sought to improve the capabilities of participating nations to plan and conduct combined and joint operations; build relationships among participating nations across the region, and improve interoperability over a range of activities, including: enhancing maritime security, preventing and mitigating emerging disease threats, and responding to large-scale natural disasters.

Cobra Gold 2020 emphasized coordination on civic action, such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, seeking to expand regional cooperation and collaboration in these vital areas.

For the first time, Cobra Gold 2020 introduced a new landmine reduction operation as well as the participation of the Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. The HIMARS purpose is to conduct bilateral training at the battery-level on the weapon system, developing interoperability between the United States, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), and other regional nations and partners. The continuation of exercises such as Cobra Gold demonstrates the commitment of the Kingdom of Thailand and the United States to their long-standing alliance.

Leaders and commanders from Indo-Pacific nations participating in Exercise Cobra Gold 2020 came together to give final remarks and shake hands as the two-week-long exercise came to a close at Ban Dan Lan Hoi, Kingdom of Thailand, March 6, 2020.

The United States has engaged in only a single, very minor military intervention in the Pacific area since the end of the Vietnam War, making it difficult to judge Cobra Gold's effectiveness in improving warfighting capabilities and coordination.[3]^:229

Cobra Gold has, proven effective in improving coordinated military response to natural disasters, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2011 Tōhoku tsunami, and disaster relief provided to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan struck in November 2013.[3]^:228

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