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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PH, Malaysian navies bolster ties with maritime exercise 'MALPHI LAUT'

PH, Malaysian navies bolster ties with maritime exercise 'MALPHI LAUT'

Published Aug 30, 2025 03:08 pm
A gunner onboard BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) performs gunnery exercise (GUNNEX) during the Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malphi Laut 2025, launched by the Philippine Navy (PN) and Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in Malaysia on Aug. 27, 2025. (Photo: PN)
A gunner onboard BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) performs gunnery exercise (GUNNEX) during the Maritime Training Activity (MTA) Malphi Laut 2025, launched by the Philippine Navy (PN) and Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in Malaysia on Aug. 27, 2025. (Photo: PN)
The Philippine Navy (PN) and the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) have reinforced their maritime cooperation with the launch of the Maritime Training Activity (MTA) MALPHI LAUT 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, the PN said Saturday, Aug. 30.
Lt. Andrei Balde, spokesperson of the Naval Task Group (NTG) 80.5, said the exercise kicked off on Aug. 27 at the Lumut Naval Base in Malaysia with the theme “Interoperability, Camaraderie, and Coaction,” aimed at strengthening the two navies’ interoperability and tactical proficiency through a series of shore and sea-phase activities.
MALPHI is a coined word of Malaysia and the Philippines while LAUT is a Malay word which means sea.
The sea phase included joint maneuvering and gunnery exercises, as well as personnel exchanges designed to improve coordination between both navies.
Meanwhile, the shore phase featured critical professional exchanges and simulator training aimed at strengthening operational planning and command capabilities.
The PN Naval Special Operations Unit teamed up with RMN PASKAL and Malaysian Naval Aviation for advanced special operations training, which covered Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System (FRIES) operations, close-quarters combat, marksmanship, team leader drills, obstacle and live-fire courses, and high-risk vessel boarding exercises.
The BRP Antonio Luna’s Combat Information Center team and the PN Tactical Trainer group also trained with their RMN counterparts at the Action Speed Tactical Trainer, gaining hands-on operator training and simulated wargaming as the Navy considers acquiring its own tactical systems.
Experts from both navies also exchanged insights on maritime domain awareness (MDA) and amphibious operations to strengthen joint approaches to emerging maritime challenges.
The exercise was conducted as tensions persist in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), where Chinese vessels continue to challenge Philippine sovereignty and harass supply missions to its outposts.
Both Manila and Kuala Lumpur have maritime interests directly affected by China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.
The PN believes that its enhanced cooperation with the RMN signals a united front in protecting freedom of navigation and maintaining a rules-based order in regional waters.
“The exercise demonstrates both navies’ commitment to enhancing readiness, mutual trust, and collective maritime security in the region,” Balde said.

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Philippine Navy Royal Malaysian Navy maritime trainining activity Malphi Laut 2025
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