The United States and the Philippines are currently conducting joint military exercises and naval patrols with allies in the region, amid escalating tensions between Washington and China and preparations for potential conflict. The annual "Balikatan" exercise between the US military and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) began on Monday, April 22, and will continue until May 10 in Northern Luzon and Palawan, involving some 16,000 military personnel. This iteration marks the 39th Balikatan exercise and was officially opened by General Romeo Brawner Jr. at Camp Aguinaldo.
A total of 11,000 U.S. military personnel and 5,000 Filipino troops will participate in the exercises in various locations, including the northern tip of Luzon Island and the Batanes Islands. This year, for the first time, the exercises will extend beyond Philippine territorial waters, about 22 kilometers from the coast. This is part of the US strategy to counter China's naval power in the so-called first island chain.
They will be joined by forces from Australia and France, as well as observers from 14 other countries, including the United Kingdom, Brunei, Canada, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, who will monitor the exercises.
The Balikatan war games are designed to improve coordination between U.S. and Philippine forces in dealing with conflicts involving China. Meanwhile, the U.S. military is strengthening strategic infrastructure throughout the Philippines, including airfields, bases, and ports across the country.
Colonel Michael Logico, who is overseeing the exercises, said Balikatan will demonstrate the Philippines' ability to fulfill its defense mission within the archipelago, as outlined in the Department of National Defense's new concept. This concept, launched in January, transforms the Philippine military from a counterinsurgency force to a territorial defense force, allowing Filipino citizens and companies to peacefully and freely conduct exploration and exploitation activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and other areas under its jurisdiction.
Balikatan 2024, according to the AFP, is a military exercise involving air, land, sea, space and cyber operations with three main components: Command and Control Exercise (C2X), Field Training Exercise (FTX), and Humanitarian Civil-Military Assistance (HCA).
The C2X exercise will focus on cyber defense, staff planning, and information warfare training to enhance the cyber defense capabilities of both the U.S. and the Philippines. They are also working to develop plans for future joint military exercises such as Balikatan and to align their tactics and information warfare strategies.
FTX, on the other hand, involves four All-Domain Combined Joint Operations designed to train US and Philippine forces to coordinate across domains (land, air, sea) and counter simulated threats.
Meanwhile, HCA activities will be led by the AFP-US Civil-Military Operations Task Force. The goals of these activities include developing infrastructure, providing life-saving medical expertise, and strengthening military-community relations in local communities in the Philippines.
According to Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla of the AFP, this year's Balikatan has undergone significant changes in scope and nature to adapt to contemporary security challenges. She explained that each Balikatan exercise is more complex than the previous one, evolving from tactical to operational warfare levels.
The primary goals are to enhance interoperability, strengthen alliances, and deepen regional security cooperation. While remaining vigilant to regional challenges, this exercise is not explicitly linked to the actions of any particular country, but focuses on strengthening collective security and readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Check out the other interesting news on Seasia.co.
