The first official Exercise Cobra Gold is held with the Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Air Force, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps. It was inaugurated as a bilateral Thailand–U.S. exercise. It grew into the premier annual regional exercise (involving hundreds of ships, aircraft, and troops from Thailand, the U.S., and multiple allies). Cobra Gold’s mission has been to enhance interoperability and readiness, with JUSMAGTHAI serving as the U.S. coordinator.