PH, US forces close Balikatan Exercise 2024

This year's Balikatan or the annual joint military exercise between the Philippines and the United States was officially closed on Friday.

In a closing ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. declared the end of the 39th iteration of the exercise, which started on April 22.

“By virtue of the authority vested in me as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, I hereby declare the Philippine-United States Balikatan Exercise 39-2024 closed effective this day,” he said.

Brawner said the exchanges of ideas and best practices on combined operations are beneficial to the Philippine and US armed forces because they make their alliance more effective.

He also pointed out that capacity building also improves their competence.

“Diversity makes us stronger. As we face these complex challenges, Balikatan has brought  a new dimension to our dynamics, enabling us to complement each other’s strengths and even shortfalls because this is how we stand shoulder-to-shoulder,” Brawner said.

The AFP sent 5,000 personnel, mainly from Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and Western Command (WESCOM), to join the Balikatan activities.

From the US, around 11,000 personnel joined, including 3,700 US Marines, 1,200 soldiers, 4,000 US Navy personnel, 400 airmen and Air National Guardsmen, as well as 750 US Special Operations forces.

Also, the Australian Defense Force deployed around 150 personnel.

Among the highlights of the exercise was its first ever multilateral maritime exercise (MME) in the West Philippine Sea involving troops from the Philippines, United States, and France.

The participating warships were the Philippine Navy’s BRP Ramon Alcaraz, an offshore patrol vessel and BRP Davao del Sur, a landing platform dock; the Marine Nationale (French Navy) frigate FS Vendémiaire; and US Navy amphibious warfare ship USS Harpers Ferry, according to Coloma.

Balikatan participants also held a maritime strike exercise targeting a mock enemy ship on the west coast of Ilocos Norte.

Philippine Navy’s Fast Attack Interdiction Crafts, BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), as well as other naval and aerial assets attacked the target ship BRP Lake Caliraya, a decommissioned vessel.

Live fire exercise was also conducted in the sand dunes and coastline of Ilocos Norte.

Other agencies also joined the exercise like the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police, the Department of Information, Communications, and Technology, the Office of Civil Defense, and the Presidential Communications Office. — RSJ/ VAL, GMA Integrated News