The Philippines and the United States will conduct large-scale military drills this month. It will include almost 18,000 soldiers from America, the Philippines, and Australia.
Of the 18,000 total troops, 5,000 of them are Filipinos. This annual military drill of the Philippines and America will be held in the area of Palawan, Zambales, Antique.
Meanwhile, the sinking exercise or military drills involving the sinking of the ship using various weapons, such as Himars, Philippine Air force, and US Airforce guided missiles and naval guns will be held in Zambales, which is near Scarborough Shoal or known as Panatag Shoal. Where it was forcibly seized by China in 2012.
“We will be sinking a target vessel using a combination of artillery, naval gunfire, and aviation weapons… We will be firing HIMARS, (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System), our artillery… a combination of Philippine Air Force and US Air Force rockets and bombs, and our frigates,” Logico said of the sinking exercise.
In the upcoming military drills, the US army will also conduct Patriot missile air defense and coastal defense live fire. This patriot missile defense and coastal defense was also conducted during Balikatan 2022 in Cagayan, Northern Luzon.
The Patriot missile is a weapon used to shoot down incoming missiles, enemy aircraft, and drones. This missile defense system is capable of locking on a target within 9 Seconds with a range of up to 70 kilometers. Philippine Air force also had this kind of air defense system. The air defense system was made by Israel and it is the Rafael Sypder Air Defense system that was delivered to our country last month.
Last year, around 9000 thousand participated in the Balikatan drill. Compared to today, it is only about half of the number of participants. Around 50 Aircraft are attending such drills, including the Landing platform dock ship BRP Tarlac and the American landing platform dock. These landing platform docks are used as bases in the operation of Amphibious Vehicle operations like ship to shore, and shore to ship operations between the Philippines and United States.
The theme of the drill in 2022 is coastal defense and air defense, where the Armed Forces of the Philippines are trained to be prepared to defend coastal areas against aggressive forces.
It also showed to Philippines Armed Forces on how to use the new powerful military equipment of the U.S. to stop the enemy.
This year 2023, this military will be;
- Air Defense Live Fire Exercise using US Patriot missile system
- Air Mobile Operations between US and Philippine forces
- Cyber Defense Exercises
- Close air support
- Urban and Jungle Warfare
and Amphibious Assault
However, as the military drills between United States and the Philippines have not yet started. China already complaining the alliances between the two countries as it is, according to them the Philippines and the allied countries are trying to bully them.
