A
beefed-up South Korean contingent was among 9,536 armed forces from six
countries participating when Cobra Gold 2011 kicked off this Feb 8.
Patcharapol Panrak
A beefed-up South Korean contingent was among 9,536
armed forces from six countries participating when Cobra Gold 2011
kicked off this month in Sattahip.
Fresh off armed conflict with North Korea, the south
sent 304 marines to train alongside forces from the United States,
Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Observers from nine
other nations also attended. The war games began Feb. 8 and run through
Feb. 18.
Most of this year’s activities are based in Chiang
Mai, but marine and amphibious exercises took place, as usual, off the
Sattahip coast. The U.S. Navy this year contributed 5,900 personnel.
South Korean representatives said that country’s
increased presence at Cobra Gold was to enhance tactics related to
international cooperation in amphibious assault and humanitarian
assistance missions.
The first of those amphibious exercises kicked off
with vessels ranging from full-size warships to rubber zodiacs Feb. 10
at Had Yao Beach. The Royal Thai Navy contributed the HTMS Surin and
Mannok while the U.S. brought in three ships, the USS Germantown, Essex
and Denver.
The training assault was to test ship-to-shore
operations. Amphibious assault vehicles, landing craft, and aircraft all
took part in the mission, supported by 250 personnel. Forces used a
rubber boat to remove and destroy explosives along the coast. After
securing the beachfront, two air squadrons with eight helicopters
carried troops to shore. There was also an air patrol and destruction of
heavy weapons with 16 AAVs carrying troops to the beach.
Adm. Wanlop Kerdpol, deputy commander of Navy forces, said such
tactics can be employed in difference scenarios around the world, such
as the Navy’s recent mission off Somalia.
