A German Air Force (Luftwaffe) aircrew member crouches near a GR-4 Tornado fighter-bomber aircraft after performing his maintenance checks at Eielson FB, Alaska (AK), during Exercise COOPERATIVE COPE THUNDER, the largest multinational air combat training exercise in the Pacific. This 15-day exercise simulates wartime combat conditions so that military personnel from 12-nations can sharpen their air fighting skills, exchange air operational tactics, and build closer relations with each other