Thai-US Armies Conduct CALFEX Live-Fire Exercise and Closing Ceremony for Cobra Gold 2025

15 Maret 2025

Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise (CALFEX) and Cobra Gold 2025 Closing Ceremony at Tactical Training Field (Phu Lum Yai), Second Army Area Royal Thai Army (RTA), Nakhon Ratchasima province on 7 March 2025 (photo: Royal Thai Armed Forces)

The Cobra Gold 2025 multinational exercise, held in Thailand from February 25 to March 7, 2024, had its closing ceremony on March 7, 2025, with a live-fire exercise (CALFEX: Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise) hosted at the 2nd Army Area (2nd Army Area), Phu Lam Yai, Royal Thai Army (RTA) in Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

The day before, there was a final exercise (FINEX: Final Exercise) at the Royal Thai Navy Training Ground No. 16, Ban Chan Khem, Chanthaburi Province, hosted by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) following the amphibious exercise (AMPHIBEX: Amphibious Exercise) on March 3, 2025.

This CALFEX exercise saw forces from the Royal Thai Army, the US Army deploy equipment including Stryker 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and, for the first time ever, the T-Storm UAV armed with self-destructing bombs, Carl Gustav recoilless cannons and live-fire FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles.

The Royal Thai Army deployed forces including 105mm M618 towed howitzer from the 6th Artillery Battalion, 6th Artillery Regiment, 6th Infrantry Division, UH-60L Black Hawk utility helicopters from the 9th Aviation Battalion and UH-72A Lakota utility helicopters from the 41st Aviation Battalion, Aviation Regiment, Army Aviation Center (AAC), etc.

Special forces from the Royal Thai Army's Special Warfare Command (SWCOM) and the Marine Reconnaissance Battalion (RTMC), Royal Thai Marine Corps, and friendly nations Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and the Republic of Korea also took part in CALFEX at Phu Lam Yai Training Range.

In addition to the Cobra Gold 2025 exercise that concluded in March 2025, the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) also has several other joint exercises with allied countries, including the Hanuman Guardian 2025 exercise between the Royal Thai Army and the US Army, and the Cope Tiger 2025 combined air exercise between the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), and the US Air Force (USAF). (AAG)

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) participating in the ship-to-shore serials with other participating navies during XCG25 (photos: Sing Mindef)

SAF Participates in Multinational Exercise Cobra Gold 2025 in Thailand

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) participated in the multinational Exercise Cobra Gold 2025 (XCG25). Held from 25 February to 7 March at Camp Suranaree, Korat, Thailand, XCG25 was co-hosted by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (US INDOPACOM). Other participating nations in XCG25 included Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea. XCG25 is the 44th iteration in the series, and the SAF has been a full participant of XCG since 2000.

XCG25 focused on the conduct of multilateral joint-operations to deal with traditional and non-traditional threats, as well as the planning and coordination for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operation. A total of 247 SAF participants across all four services participated in the exercise. The SAF contingent was led by Chief Guards Officer/Commander, 21st Singapore Division, COL Wong Pui Chuan, and they undertook various roles, including key exercise appointments and planners within the Multinational Combined Task Force. Personnel from the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) participated in the Cyber Defence Exercise, where they conducted Incident Handling and Response to defend a network from simulated cyber-attacks.

Notably, XCG25 saw the inaugural participation of the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Endurance-class Landing Ship Tank (LST) RSS Endeavour in the ship-to-shore serials alongside the Republic of Korea Navy, the US Navy, and the Royal Thai Navy. A team of combat engineers from the Singapore Army also participated in the multinational Engineer Civic Assistance Programme to construct a multi-purpose building for Ban Dong Marum School in Lop Buri, Thailand.

XCG is one of the largest multinational exercises in the Asia-Pacific region, promoting mutual understanding, friendship and professionalism amongst the participating armed forces. (Sing Mindef)

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