A pair of B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., will participate in a joint exercise with the Indian Air Force this week—the first time the BONE has participated in an exercise there.
F-15E fighters, C-130J cargo planes, and C-17 transport aircraft also are taking part in Cope India 2023, Pacific Air Forces told Air & Space Forces Magazine. Indian news outlets first reported the B-1s’ participation, citing PACAF commander Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach.
The visit is the second trip to India in three months—in February, Lancers conducted flyovers at the biennial Aero India air show. B-1s also participated in Aero India 21, the first time a Lancer had ever landed in India.
The Cope India joint exercise between the USAF and IAF began in 2004 and has subsequently been held in 2005, 2006, 2009, and 2018. Over the years, the U.S. Air Force has sent F-15s, F-16s, C-130Hs, C-130Js, and C-17s to the exercise.
The first phase of the 2023 edition began April 10, according to a release from the Indian Defence Ministry, with a focus on air mobility. C-17s from the 15th Wing at Joint Base Hickam-Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and C-130Js from the 374th Airlift Wing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, participated.
The second phase, which kicked off April 13, will include F-15Es from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., in addition to the B-1s. The Indian Air Force will fly Su-30 MKI, Rafale, Tejas and Jaguar fighter aircraft.
The exercise is slated to conclude April 24. The USAF has yet to release any imagery from Cope India 23.
The Biden administration has sought to foster ties with India recently, both as part of its broader efforts to bolster alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific against the influence of China, and in an attempt to further alienate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. In particular, the U.S. Air Force brought a considerable presence to Aero India 23, including F-35 fighters, as the Indian Air Force mulls upgrades.
B-1s have also become a regular sight in the region as of late, thanks to Bomber Task Force rotations. Lancers have flown four times with South Korean fighters this year, as well as exercises with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.
Source: Air & Space Forces
