PH, US, Australia hold counter-landing and live fire exercise in Palawan

Troops from the Philippines, United States of America, and Australia conducted a counter-landing and live fire exercise in Palawan as part of this year’s Balikatan drills, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Tuesday.

In a statement, the AFP said the activity conducted Monday started with a maritime interdiction scenario, in which Philippine Navy assets engaged and neutralized a simulated seaborne intrusion.

Among the assets used in the activity were Multi-Purpose Attack Crafts (MPACs) and Fast Attack Interdiction Craft (FAIC).

Naval and ground forces demonstrated seamless coordination, according to the AFP.

Then the operation transitioned into an integrated coastal live fire mission, in which a diverse range of military capabilities were used.

“The Philippine Marine Corps deployed their Howitzers to initiate the synchronized fire mission. The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) was utilized to deliver rapid and precise strikes, reinforcing the allies’ ability to respond decisively to threats,” the AFP said.

“Supporting fire was provided using .50 caliber machine guns and M16 rifles, contributing to the overall firepower and coordination on the battlefield,” it added.

The activity ended with a precision strike from the HIMARS.

Troops from the Japan Self-Defense Forces observed the exercise to reinforce multilateral security cooperation and joint training initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the AFP.

The Balikatan, an annual exercise between Manila and Washington, started on April 21 with around 17,000 troops expected to join.

For this year’s Balikatan, the Philippine and US troops will engage in a full battle exercise. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News