By JOSEPH PEDRAJAS
The United States has expressed its commitment to help the Philippines in what it needs, particularly to ensure successful rotation and reprovision missions to Filipino troops on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.
Kanishka Gangopadhyay, spokesman for the US Embassy in Manila, said that "as allies, the United States and the Philippines coordinate on a wide array of issues of shared concern."
His pronouncement on Tuesday, July 16, came as the Philippine Navy said it is eyeing the use of an American unmanned aircraft system to carry out resupply missions in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and avoid getting harassed by Chinese maritime forces.
But Gangopadhyay added: "I’m not going to get into the details of diplomatic discussions."
In a press conference, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, confirmed that US marines tested their Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System (TRUAS) during two recent military exercises earlier this year.
"All options are being considered," Trinidad said when asked if the navy is eyeing to acquire the same US drone system for the resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.
According to the US Marine Corps, their 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit employed TRUAS during the Balikatan Exercise in April and Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum (ACDC) in May in Palawan.
The TRUAS, according to the US Marine Corps, is a Class 3 unmanned aerial system which can deliver critical supplies to remote and inaccessible areas with unprecedented speed and precision.