CAMP MURRAY, Wash. — The Washington Air National Guard hosted Royal Thai Air Force commander-in-chief Air Chief Marshal Sakesan Kantha April 13, advancing a more than two-decade partnership focused on interoperability, emerging capabilities and the future of the Enduring Partners exercise.
The visit, held at Camp Murray and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, highlighted the continued growth of the State Partnership Program between Washington and Thailand and marked the first time the Royal Thai Air Force’s top leaders visited Washington National Guard headquarters.
The engagement underscores a long-standing, strategic partnership built on recurring training, shared operational priorities and increasing collaboration in emerging domains such as cyber and unmanned systems.
“We are so grateful for your visit,” said Brig. Gen. Ken Borchers, commander of the Washington Air National Guard and assistant adjutant general. “There is a lot of excitement for the Washington Air National Guard and Royal Thai Air Force in the near future as we continue to build on our Enduring Partners exercise.”
Leaders emphasized the importance of relationships built over time through consistent engagement and shared training objectives. Both nations expressed a commitment to expanding the scope and longevity of the partnership.
“We continue to grow Enduring Partners and ensure we are doing everything to meet your intent for the exercise,” said Col. Nathan Masunaga, director of staff, Washington Air National Guard. “We know we’re training right because when we start the exercises each year, we hit the ground running. We’ve already developed those relationships. We also want to live up to the name ‘Enduring Partners.’ We’re not just thinking two years from now, but five years and beyond.”
During the visit, Washington and Thai delegations participated in a series of briefings focused on capabilities, interoperability and future opportunities, including cyber, counter-unmanned aerial systems and cyberspace defense operations.
“I believe that this is so important now,” said Sakesan. “Cyberspace is always around us, far before anyone shoots the first bullet, so we need to protect and defend it.”
A key portion of the visit included a Tactical Air Control Party drone demonstration led by the 116th Air Support Operations Squadron, the 194th Communication Squadron and the 194th Security Forces Squadron, with additional support from the Washington State Guard. The demonstration highlighted the unit’s growing unmanned aerial system capabilities and potential areas for bilateral collaboration.
Both delegations identified the capability as an opportunity for future collaboration. The drones, primarily used for reconnaissance, operate in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration requirements and reflect evolving battlefield needs. Leaders also discussed lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, particularly in countering malicious unmanned aerial systems.
“This is a great tool in the toolbox,” Borchers said. “However, we will need more tools and platforms to continue developing this program.”
In the afternoon, the delegation traveled to the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where they received mission briefings and toured the operations floor, gaining insight into homeland air defense operations. Airmen from WADS routinely conduct exchanges with the Royal Thai Air Force on air defense systems.
The engagement comes amid growing cooperation, with both forces looking ahead to future milestones. Next year marks the 90th anniversary of the Royal Thai Air Force and the 25th anniversary of the Washington-Thailand partnership through the National Guard State Partnership Program.
“Myself and Major General Welsh will be in Thailand to celebrate with you and your team,” said Borchers. “This relationship is more than just one exercise. It’s a long-term commitment to each other’s success.”
Sakesan echoed those sentiments throughout the visit.
“Me and my team are so grateful for your investment in Thailand,” said Sakesan. “We might be more than 10,000 kilometers away from home, but we don’t feel like we are just visiting. It feels like home.”