Multinational Space Operations at Cobra Gold: Building Interoperability, Trust, and Shared Space Awareness in the Indo-Pacific

Abstract

Cobra Gold is one of the longest-running multinational military exercises in Southeast Asia and has played an important role in regional security cooperation for several decades. While the exercise has traditionally focused on land, air, and maritime operations, recent iterations have expanded to include activities related to the space domain. This article examines how Cobra Gold has evolved into a practical platform for multinational space cooperation, with attention to shared space domain awareness, space-enabled command-and-control, coordination in the space electronic warfare environment, and information-sharing practices among participating partners. Rather than treating space solely as a technical or bilateral issue, this study situates space operations within broader processes of interoperability and trust-building in the Indo-Pacific. The analysis argues that integrating space-domain activities into Cobra Gold allows participating states to enhance operational coordination while managing political sensitivities in a strategically contested region. By examining recent developments in the exercise and placing them within Southeast Asian security dynamics and ASEAN norms, the article contributes to ongoing discussions on how emerging operational domains are shaping multinational military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.