Biggest US-Philippines military drill in years to test joint counterattack ability against ‘external aggressor’, army says

The 12-day joint exercises are the largest since 2015, and test the ability of both countries’ armed forces to work together if the Philippines is attacked

The drills won’t take place in or near the South China Sea, but will include scenarios on maritime security, an air assault and amphibious landing, says the Philippine armed forces

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Philippine and US soldiers salute during the opening ceremony of the Balikatan drills on March 28, 2022. Photo: AP

Published: 8:30pm, 30 Mar 2022Updated: 8:27pm, 31 Mar 2022

Almost 9,000 Filipino and American soldiers are taking part in 12 days of large-scale military exercises to test the ability of both armed forces to work together if the Philippines is attacked or occupied by an “external aggressor”, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Colonel Rafael Zagala said on Wednesday.

Zagala said the war drills involved a scenario where “the Philippines is attacked” by a third country, which he did not identify.

The Balikatan, or shoulder to shoulder, training exercises began on Monday and are the last under the outgoing administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. It involves 3,800 Philippine soldiers and 5,100 US servicemen from the army, air force, and navy including marines, Zagala said.

The scale of participation from both sides makes the drills the biggest joint exercise between the countries since 2015.

Military officers and guests salute during the opening ceremony of the Philippine-US Balikatan exercises on March 28, 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE

The exercise also marks the Philippine military’s shift from mainly battling the armed communist rebellion and Islamic terrorist threats to boosting external defence, Zagala said.

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