Navy holds amphibious raid in Basilan exercise
Published Jul 5, 2023 08:05 am
The Philippine Navy (PN) conducted an amphibious raid to showcase its naval capabilities as part of the culmination of Exercise Pagsisikap 2023 in Hadji Muthamad, Basilan last week.
*The Naval Forces Western Mindanao holds an amphibious raid as part of Exercise Pagsisikap on
**Sangbay Big Island in Hadji Muthamad, Basilan on June 27, 2023. (Photo: Philippine Navy)
* Exercise Pagsisikap is a unilateral exercise aimed at sustaining the capabilities of PN’s fleet-marine units. “The primary purpose of Exercise Pagsisikap 2023 is to enhance the capability of the fleet-marine operations particularly focusing on the planning and execution of amphibious operations in the littoral battle space,” Ensign Niño Fernando A. Cunan, acting public affairs officer of Naval Forces Western Mindanao, said on Wednesday, July 5. The four-day exercise concluded with an amphibious raid at the beach of Sangbay Big Island in the municipality of Hadji Muthamad on June 27. The amphibious raid featured the utilization of various landing craft and four amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs). “These naval assets were launched from the depths of the vast ocean, stationed adjacent to the shorelines of Sangbay Island. The landing craft and the AAVs [carried] a battalion of highly trained marines from the prestigious Marine Amphibious Ready Unit (MARU) and [landed] them within the strategic vicinity, signifying the unified efforts to reclaim a coastal barangay previously occupied by hostile forces,” Cunan said. “Ensuring utmost precision and minimizing potential risks for the arriving MARU forces, the insertion of the main body onto the shorelines was preceded by the Navy SEALS,” he added. Apart from the amphibious raid, several civil-military operations (CMO) were also conducted by the troops such medical mission, tree planting, gift giving initiatives, “Brigada Eskwela,” free haircuts, and symposium to foster collaboration with the community. Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom), graced the culmination of Exercise Pagsisikap and emphasized the importance of such drills in assessing the preparedness of the Navy. He also shed light on the multitude of operations that were tested, ranging from the complexities of amphibious operations to the critical aspects of maritime interdiction operations, surveillance and reconnaissance endeavors within the vast maritime areas, and the role of civil-military operations. “Through this exercise, the Western Mindanao Command will effectively utilize the different naval assets according to established doctrines to maintain strong presence at sea while safeguarding the international waters in Western Mindanao,” Galido said.