Joint Military Exercise Between Nepal and the U.S. Begins Sunday, Special U.S. Air Force Aircraft Arrives in Kathmandu
Kathmandu: A joint military exercise between the Nepali Army and the U.S. military is set to begin on Sunday. This exercise with the U.S. comes before Nepal’s scheduled joint military exercise with China. A special U.S. Air Force aircraft has already arrived in Kathmandu for this exercise.
The exercise, titled Pacific Angel-24, is fully prepared to commence. According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Nepal, the exercise will focus on search and rescue missions, where both the Nepali Army and the U.S. Army will share their expertise. The U.S. Embassy also confirmed that a specially modified U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King aircraft has been brought to Kathmandu for the exercise.
Brigadier General Gaurav K.C., spokesperson for the Nepali Army, shared that a Nepali team has been selected to participate in Pacific Angel 24. He mentioned that the exercise, starting on September 15, aims to enhance coordination between the Nepali Army and the U.S. Department of Defense, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster management. During the exercise, joint teams from both nations will train in crucial skills like aeromedical rescue, accident response, and infectious disease control.
The U.S. Embassy further explained that the specially modified HC-130J Combat King aircraft will be used to train the Nepali Army for disaster response missions. This aircraft is primarily utilized by the U.S. military for search and rescue operations and combat reconnaissance. It can fly at a speed of 537 km/h and cover a distance of 8,334 km on a single refueling.
Pacific Angel is a military exercise conducted regularly by the U.S. military in countries within the Indo-Pacific region, aimed at enhancing capabilities in humanitarian assistance and disaster management. The Pacific Angel-24 exercise was launched last month, with previous exercises held in Papua New Guinea and Vietnam. The exercise in Nepal marks the next phase, beginning Sunday. Nepal and the U.S. have been holding joint military exercises regularly since 2012.
