16K US, PH troops start Balikatan drills

WARSHIPS from the United States, Australia, France and the Philippines will sail in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in maritime exercises coinciding with the Balikatan 2024, which begins today, April 22, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Sunday.

Balikatan 2024 aims to bolster collaboration and readiness across a range of critical areas, said Col. Michael Logico, Balikatan 2024 spokesman, including external defense, cyber defense, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance, disaster assistance and capacity-building.

France will join the group sail but will only navigate on the edge of the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in WPS.

“For operational security reasons, I will not reveal the exact route of the group sail. Just … know that we will be originating from Palawan, and we will be doing it within the bounds of our EEZ,” Logico said.

The Japan Defense Force was supposed to join the maritime sail but did not respond to the AFP’s invitation on time.

At least 16,000 troops (11,000 on the US side and 5,000 from the Philippines) will take part in the Balikatan exercise with the participation of 14 countries as observers.

Logico said the objective of Balikatan exercises is to demonstrate the strength of the alliance and its willingness to defend territory.

“The reason why we do exercises is to demonstrate our combat readiness, and it is also a demonstration of our comprehensive archipelagic defense concept,” he said. “You do exercises for that primary reason to maintain a high level of readiness.”

“I do not discount the possibility that this also sends a message to our adversaries,” he added.

Lt. Gen. William Jurney, commander of US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific and US exercise director for Balikatan 2024, expressed confidence in the strengthened capabilities achieved through joint endeavors.

“Our combined capabilities with the Armed Forces of the Philippines are stronger than ever. Every day that we work and train together, the bonds between our people grow stronger, our capabilities grow stronger, our alliance grows stronger.”

On the US side, Logico said the Americans will have at least two ships, F-22 Raptor fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, Black Hawk helicopters, and medium-range capability weapon systems.

Logico said the Philippines will use FA-50 fighter jets, Super Tucano light attack aircraft, Black Hawk combat utility helicopters and the Spyder ground-based air defense system of the Philippine Air Force.

Also participating are the frigate BRP Antonio Luna, patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz, and landing dock BRP Davao Del Sur of the Philippine Navy, said Logico.

“We try to maximize as many capabilities as we can during the Balikatan exercise because this happens once a year,” said Logico.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. emphasized the significance of Balikatan 2024 in advancing interoperability and readiness across various domains.

“Together, we speed up our march towards enhancing our military capabilities for maritime security alongside honing other competencies in order to effectively address the dynamic challenges across all domains,” he said.

Parallel to the war games, Balikatan will incorporate projects aimed at benefiting local communities. Initiatives include the construction of school buildings in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan, as well as health care centers in La Union and Palawan.

“These endeavors underscore the commitment to fostering sustainable development and strengthening ties between military forces and civilian populations,” Brawner said.