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US and allied forces kick off combat drills with Philippines despite Washington’s focus on Iran
Japan joined the annual drills with 1,400 personnel as more than 17,000 troops practiced live-fire operations and ship-sinking maneuvers.
- On Monday, April 20, the United States and the Philippines launched the 19-day Balikatan war games involving more than 17,000 troops, with Japan deploying 1,400 personnel in a prominent combat role.
- Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner called this year's event 'the biggest ever,' emphasizing that the multinational drills build deterrence and resilience against regional aggression in the Indo-Pacific.
- During the drills, Japanese forces will fire Type 88 cruise missiles from Ilocos Norte to sink a target ship about 40 kilometers away in the South China Sea, demonstrating Japan's expanded combat role.
- In Beijing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun warned that introducing external forces could spark confrontation, while about 50 protesters outside the Manila base branded the exercises an 'imperialist terrorist' act.
- Despite Washington's preoccupation with the Middle East war, U.S. Lieutenant General Christian Wortman affirmed American focus on the Indo-Pacific remains 'unwavering,' supported by established visiting forces agreements with Manila.
107 Articles
107 Articles
US, Philippines Conduct Large-Scale Drills Amid Increasing Chinese Aggression
The U.S. military and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) kicked off on April 20 one of their largest combat drills to strengthen collective defense in Asia as the region faces increased aggression from the Chinese regime. The AFP said in a post on X that the 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan, which means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in the Philippine native language Tagalog, is the “most expansive engagement in the exercise’s history.” The annua…
The United States, the Philippines and other countries have begun a joint major maneuver in the South China Sea.
U.S., Philippines begin war drills testing real-world readiness | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
MANILA >> Philippine and U.S. forces will carry out maritime strike drills on a remote Philippine island near Taiwan during annual exercises that started on Monday, which Manila’s military chief said would test their readiness under “real-world conditions.”
Captured in its blockade of the Strait of Ormuz, the U.S. Army is mobilizing in the Taiwan Strait. Thousands of U.S., Philippine and Japanese soldiers launched the annual military manoeuvres in the north of the Philippines, near Taiwan, on Monday, April 20th. For the first time, these military exercises will take place in the presence of a large Japanese contingent, and these manoeuvres are closely scrutinized by Beijing.
France, New Zealand and Japan will participate for the first time in training
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