Marine aviation training between PHL, US to take place this month

A US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force, takes off from Marine Barracks Gregorio Lim during exercise KAMANDAG 2 at Ternate, Cavite on Oct. 7, 2018. Photo: Lance Corporal Ryan Persinger/DVIDS

A military exercise between the Philippines and the United States that focuses on mutual defense, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief will take place in the country this month.

The Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 19.2 is scheduled to be held from July 15 to 25, according to a press release from the US Embassy on Monday.

Marines and aircraft from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 and 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, which is based in Okinawa, Japan, will be partnering with the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the military exercise.

The two countries will conduct cooperation and interoperability training which are consistent with the Mutual Defense Treaty and Visiting Forces Agreement.

This kind of military exercise will allow the US to strengthen its longstanding security alliance with allies in the Philippines, the US Defense Department said in the statement. — Anna Felicia Bajo/BM, GMA News