Days after completing a bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) with India in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) held another similar drill with the French Armed Forces in the southern portion of Eastern Mindanao this week to strengthen operational readiness in one of the country’s most strategic sea lanes.

Unlike previous engagements which were largely focused on surface maneuvers, the exercise held from Nov. 27 to 28 placed greater emphasis on combined air-to-sea operations, according to AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad.

AFP naval and air platforms such as the Jacinto-class corvette BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37), a C-208B surveillance aircraft, a Black Hawk helicopter, and three FA-50 fighter jets conducted integrated drills with a French frigate and its onboard helicopter.

The exercise covered Division Tactical Maneuvers, Officer-of-the-Watch drills, and a Replenishment-at-Sea Approach which are drills designed to test command decisions, formation changes, and sustainability of operations under realistic conditions.

The AFP noted that the exercises were structured to mirror potential scenarios in which swift coordination between air and naval assets is crucial.

The drills were conducted in the waters stretching from south of Balut Island in Sarangani to the coastal areas off Davao Oriental.

The southern portion of Eastern Mindanao is considered a strategic maritime area as it opens directly to the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean, serving as the country’s eastern maritime shield.

The coordinated deployment marked one of the most extensive cross-domain rehearsals between the two countries to date, Trinidad emphasized.

The AFP said the expanded scope of the MCA directly supports efforts to enhance maritime domain awareness and tighten interoperability with long-standing security partners.

Manila and Paris are negotiating a status of visiting forces agreement (SOVFA), a military pact that would govern the temporary presence and operations of both their militaries on each other’s soil.

President Marcos Jr. approved the negotiations for the VFA in March of this year, and the second round of talks are expected to begin this December.

The French Armed Forces underscored that continued engagement with regional allies, such as the AFP, strengthens its commitment to a stable and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

Last Oct. 26, the AFP held its second bilateral MCA with the Indian Armed Forces in the WPS.