The Philippines and five other allied and friendly countries will hold a coordinated sail in territorial waters off Northern Luzon as part of “Exercise SAMASAMA 2024” to enhance their interoperability during a large-scale force deployment, the Philippine Navy (PN) said Tuesday, Oct. 8.
PN Vice Commander, Rear Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta spearheaded the opening ceremony of the exercise at the Naval Operating Base in Subic, Zambales on Monday with representatives from navies and marine forces of the United States, Australia, Canada, France, and Japan.
“Exercise SAMASAMA represented the reconstitution of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) initiative and marks the seventh iteration of this vital joint training exercise between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America,” said Ensign Cyrus Anthony Ramos, spokesperson of the PN’s Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL).
“Its primary objective is to develop bilateral response capabilities to regional crises and improve the capacities to address non-traditional security concerns, including territorial defense, natural and man-made disasters, terrorism, maritime security, and transnational crimes,” he added.
The Exercise SAMASAMA, a Philippine-U.S. bilateral exercise, forms part of CARAT, a multinational exercise series designed to enhance US and partner navies' abilities to operate together in response to traditional and non-traditional maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
SAMASAMA is structured into two main phases: the “shore” phase and the “sea” phase.
The shore phase, which includes the opening ceremony, features a series of subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs), various ceremonies and receptions, tours and static displays, and coordination and team-building activities to build the rapport among the participants. It runs from Oct. 7 to 11.
Meanwhile, the sea phase includes at-sea exercises and the much-anticipated joint sail by warships and other vessels from the six countries to enhance their interoperability. The second phase is scheduled from Oct. 12 to 17.
“This exercise has evolved significantly since its inception. What began as a bilateral event between the United States and the Philippines has grown into a multilateral and multiplatform operation, bringing together like-minded partners from across the Indo-Pacific,” said the U.S. Head of Delegation, Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata, Commander Logistics Western Pacific, and Task Force 73.
“This development highlights the strength of our alliances and our shared commitment to peace, security, and cooperation in the maritime domain and it’s never been more important,” he added.
Working alongside naval vessels and maritime surveillance aircraft, specialized teams, including diving and explosive ordnance disposal units, will conduct high-intensity drills focusing on anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, and maritime domain awareness.
“Sama Sama”, which means “togetherness” in Tagalog, reflects the spirit of the decades-long partnership between allies in the region, Cimicata stressed.
The participating assets include the BRP Jose Rizal (FF 150), BRP Waray (LC-288), and BRP Nestor Reinoso (PC 380) from the PN; the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83) and a P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft from the US Navy; the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331) and a CH-148 Cyclone helicopter from the Royal Canadian Navy; and a Shin Maywa US-2 amphibious aircraft and Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force among others.
Meanwhile, the PN said that the exercise is not directed towards any country even as China earlier called out the Philippines for teaming up with other countries when conducting maritime exercises as this supposedly increases tension in the South China Sea (SCS).
“The Philippine Navy is committed to continuously developing its capabilities across physical and non-physical dimensions, and this year’s Exercise SAMASAMA is set to be more robust than ever,” Ramos said.
If anything, the PN said that it is through joint exercises like SAMASAMA which ensures peace in the Indo-Pacific.
“Through enhanced cooperation, the exercise aims to strengthen alliances among participating nations while promoting peace and stability in the region,” Ramos noted.
The planned joint sail for SAMASAMA will be held weeks after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) led its counterparts from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States in a coordinated sail in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during the conduct of the fourth multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) last Sept. 28.