A pair of B-1B Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD, 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 planes are also participating in Cope India 2023, the Pacific Air Force told Air & Space Forces magazine. Indian media first reported B-1 involvement, citing PACAF commander General Kenneth S. Wilsbach.
The visit is the second trip to India in three months – in February, Lancers performed overflights at the biennial Aero India air show. B-1s also participated in Aero India 21, the first time a Lancer landed in India.
The Cope India joint exercise between the USAF and the IAF started in 2004 and then took place 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 exercise .
The first phase of the 2023 edition started on April 10 according to a statement from the Indian Ministry of Defense, 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 began April 13, will include F-15Es from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, in addition to B-1s. The Indian Air Force will fly Su-30 MKI, Rafale, Tejas and Jaguar fighter jets.
The exercise is scheduled to end on April 24. The USAF has yet to release any images of Cope India 23.
The Biden administration has recently sought to strengthen ties with India, both as part of its broader efforts to strengthen alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific against Chinese influence, and in an attempt to further alienate Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. In particular, the US Air Force brought a considerable presence to Aero India 23, including F-35 fighters, as the Indian Air Force considers upgrades.
B-1s have also become a regular sight in the area lately, thanks to Bomber Task Force rotations. The Lancers have flown four times with South Korean fighters this year, as well as exercises with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force.