Cope Angel 2025: US, Japan sharpen search, rescue skills

Published July 3, 2025
By Senior Airman Melany Bermudez
18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) --

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 33rd and 31st Rescue Squadrons partnered with Japan Air Self-Defense Force members from the Naha Air Rescue Squadron for exercise Cope Angel 25-1, June 23-27, at Kadena and Naha Air Bases.

Cope Angel is the 33rd RQS’s primary, annual bilateral personnel recovery exercise with Naha Air Rescue Squadron, designed to provide an opportunity for the U.S. Air Force and JASDF search and rescue assets to integrate, plan and train together.

“This exercise is a validation for everything the 18th Wing stands for,” said Capt. Gabriela Demarest, 33rd RQS HH-60G pilot and unit project officer for Cope Angel 25-1. "The entire basis of this exercise is to ensure that anyone taking off from Okinawa in pursuit of a free and open Indo-Pacific region will always have a ride home on their worst day.”

This year, the Naha Air Rescue Squadron strengthened its commitment to joint-force readiness by adopting U.S. Air Force tactics, techniques and procedures. Squadron members led multiple mission profiles to evaluate their capability to adapt and operate seamlessly alongside U.S. forces, enhancing bilateral interoperability.

At the same time, JASDF's U-125A crews coordinated airspace, managed operational assets and executed the recovery of isolated personnel with support from the 33rd RQS. These actions highlighted growing alignment and a shared commitment to more effective combined operations.

military member leans out of a helicoper window to work on the machine gun — U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joshua Aloyo, 33rd Rescue Squadron instructor special mission aviator, checks the GAU-18/A machine gun on a HH-60W Jolly Green II after a personnel recovery exercise with the 31st RQS during exercise Cope Angel 25-1 in Okinawa, Japan, June 26, 2025. The HH-60W Jolly Green II’s core mission is recovery of personnel under hostile conditions, including combat search and rescue. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melany Bermudez)

military members lean on the ground outside of a helicopter — U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dan Basheda, left, and Staff Sgt. Greg Molloy, 31st Rescue Squadron pararescuemen, secure a HH-60W Jolly Green II for a personnel recovery exercise with the 33rd RQS during exercise Cope Angel 25-1, on an island off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, June 26, 2025. Exercises and operations incorporating search and rescue concepts ensure forward-deployed forces are continually ready to protect and defend the U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melany Bermudez)

military member sits on a helicopter overlooking the coast of Okinawa — U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Greg Molloy, 31st Rescue Squadron pararescueman, looks out of an HH-60W Jolly Green II before a personnel recovery exercise with the 33rd RQS during exercise Cope Angel 25-1, off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, June 26, 2025. Cope Angel allows the 33rd RQS and 31st RQS to engage in training events with their Japan Air Self-Defence Force counterparts to sharpen their readiness for real-world scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Melany Bermudez)

“The more we train together, the more we can rely on each other when the time comes,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Brian Tordoff, 18th Operations Group chief of standardization and evaluations. “Working with JASDF in scenarios like this builds the trust and familiarity we need to operate as one team.”

Cope Angel 25-1 demonstrated the growing strength of U.S. and Japanese search and rescue integration through realistic, high-stakes training.

Whether in peace or conflict, bilateral exercises help ensure both teams are ready to respond together when it matters most.