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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Filipino, US soldiers hold maritime drills in West PH Sea

Filipino, US soldiers hold maritime drills in West PH Sea

Published Jun 5, 2025 07:33 pm
The Philippine Coast Guard's BRP Cabra (MRRV4409) and Philippine Air Force Sokol helicopter take part in the exercise, enhancing interoperability with U.S. forces in support of future HADR missions. (photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)
The Philippine Coast Guard's BRP Cabra (MRRV4409) and Philippine Air Force Sokol helicopter take part in the exercise, enhancing interoperability with U.S. forces in support of future HADR missions. (photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines)

Filipino and American soldiers held a fire support military exercise in the West Philippine Sea as part of the 7th Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) between the Philippines and the United States.

In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the military drills were aimed at further strengthening the cooperation and interoperability in maintaining regional peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea amid concerns of militarization in the area.

AFP chief military information officer Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the highlight of this iteration was the fire support rehearsal involving the U.S. 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (3MLR) based in Subic.

“This serial tested joint coordination in a littoral combat environment, integrating forward observers, command and control elements, and fire support platforms for a smooth maritime operational effectiveness,” said Trinidad. 

Aside from the fire support rehearsal, the official said the two forces also held Communications Check Exercises (COMMEX), Division Tactics and Officer of the Watch Maneuvers (DIVTACS/OOW), Photo Exercises (PHOTOEX), and a Final Exercise (FINEX).

He said all of them were designed to enhance interoperability for maritime domain awareness and targeting reconnaissance capability.

One of the highlights of the war games was the participation of BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) on its first operational deployment since commissioning last month, according to Trinidad.

“The mission provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate the ship’s performance in a multilateral environment and assess its readiness to operate alongside its partner nation, reaffirming its vital role in enhancing the AFP’s maritime capabilities,” said Trinidad. 

Beyond defense training, Trinidad said the MCA also focused on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) preparedness, with the participation from the Philippine Air Force Search and Rescue (SAR) asset and the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Cabra (MRRV4409).  

“These efforts directly contribute to the AFP’s ability to carry out its mandated tasks more efficiently and with greater responsiveness,” said Trinidad.

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