Philippine Fleet assets converge for 'sea phase' of 2023 Exercise Pagbubuklod

The maritime and air assets of the Philippine Fleet converged on Wednesday to train for interoperability and multiple capabilities during the sea phase of the ongoing 2023 Exercise Pagbubuklod.

The Philippine Fleet is one of the two commands of the Philippine Navy, the other being the Philippine Marine Corps.

Exercise Pagbubuklod, an annual unilateral training activity of the fleet, kicked off on Monday, October 23 at the Naval Operating Base Subic in Zambales.

“This is more on about training…unilateral training to test our newly acquired capabilities like, for example, for information surveillance and reconnaissance using drones,” said PF spokesperson Lieutenant Giovanni Badidles.

“We always train our personnel in preparation for any untoward incidents and we will be able to test the capability of our newly acquired assets,” he added in a mix of Filipino and English.

Among the participating assets in the exercise are frigates BRP Jose Rizal, and BRP Antonio Luna; landing dock BRP Tarlac, fast attack interdiction crafts, BRP Lolinato To-ong and BRP Gener Tinangag, patrol vessels BRP Valentin Diaz and BRP Ladislao Diwa.

Other assets include a missile-capable multi-purpose attack craft from a Boat Attack Division and the Naval Air Wing’s Maritime Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron Flight Bravo.

The assets and personnel carried out exercises on Electronic Warfare Operations, Anti-Submarine Warfare, Unmanned Aerial System Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Air Defense Exercises, Surface Warfare Exercises, High-Value Unit Protection, Swarm Tactics and Littoral Operations.

Also tested was the communications compatibility of the fleet assets to the headquarters via marine radio, ship-to-air, and ship-to-ground communications.

Badidles said the exercises will enable the PF to raise its level of readiness and optimize the proper utilization of its modernizing platforms and systems to address traditional and non-traditional challenges.

It will likewise encourage the Philippine Navy personnel to build and improve capacity in manning and handling such a higher level of equipment, he added. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA Integrated News