US to send rocket launcher to PHL for military exercises

_{^{Two High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers firing their rockets. Photo courtesy of US Army}}

The United States military will be deploying its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) to the Philippines for this year's Balikatan exercises — a first in the history of the annual event.

According to Capt. Celeste Frank Sayson, public information officer of the Balikatan exercises, HIMARS will be used in the live fire phase of the training to be held in Crow Valley in Tarlac.

"It is just like a huge car with a weapon system," Sayson said of HIMARS, which is commonly used for air protection and is also an antiship weapon.

The US military will also bring along 55 aircraft and five ships for this year's Balikatan joint training, which will be held from April 4 to 15.

"In Crow Valley, HIMARS will demonstrate to Filipino troops its capability to engage ground, air, and sea targets," Sayson said. "It has maximum range of 300 kilometers."

"Later on it will be brought to Palawan" for a mobility training, she added.

Sayson however could not say how many HIMARS will be used in this year's Balikatan exercises, now on its 32nd iteration. She also said HIMARS will not be firing rockets.

Sayson denied that the choice of Palawan as a venue for the exercises has to do with the territorial dispute between the Philippines and China over parts of the South China Sea. Palawan is near the disputed Spratly Islands.

"We would like to make it clear that these exercises have nothing to do with the emerging threat or what is emerging in the western part of the country or in the West Philippine Sea," she said.

Aside from 4,900 American soldiers and over 3,000 Filipino troops, some 80 Australian forces will also participate in exercises as "supporting elements," Sayson said.

"They will be participating during field training exercises," Sayson said of the Australians.

She said this is the first time the Australians will be involved in actual Balikatan training. —KBK, GMA News