Thailand's F-16 Fighter jets Participate In Joint military training With Indonesian Air Force

Thailand Air Force (RTAF)’s Six F16 fighter jets and few fighter jets of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) are holding a joint military training exercise known as Elang Thainesia XVIII 2017.

Further "the training will be held from today for the next two weeks," Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base Commander Marshall Age Wiraksono said Monday. 

The training also involves two Hercules belonging to the RTAF, while the TNI AU is using F16 and Hawk 100/200 from air squadrons 16 and 12 of the Roesmin Nurjadin base, Antaranews.com reported Monday.

The exercise, held at the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, Pekanbaru, Riau Province of Indonesia, involves 200 soldiers from RTAF and 100 from the Indonesian Air Force.

Further, he added that the joint bilateral training is the 18th of its kind between the TNI AU and RTAF. This time, Pekanbaru is the host of the event after a similar training was held along with the Singaporean Air Force last week.

"In future, the people to people contacts between us and Thailand would become closer. Hence, the communication skills of our soldiers, who are our countries next leaders, would become better. There are several positive things we could take from here," he stated.

The joint training will be held in Riaus airspace, with some combat training patterns that have already been set by both militaries.

"Apart from improving the ties between us, during the training, we could also exchange our knowledge and share experiences, tactics, and even culture. I believe this event would offer us huge benefits," Silanil added.