United States Marine prepare their armed vehicle for the Balikatan 41-2026 Integrated and Air Missile Defense demonstration at the Leovigildo Gantioqui naval station in San Antonio, Zambales yesterday.Walter Bollozos

Balikatan live-fire drills held in Palawan

by · philstar

MANILA, Philippines — A counter-landing live fire exercise has been held in Palawan as part of this year’s Balikatan joint military drills.

At the Apurawan Beach Landing Site in Aborlan, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, United States military, Australian Defense Force and New Zealand Defense Force simulated a maritime threat.

Led by the Philippine Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Brigade, the drill involved an enemy amphibious landing along the coastline, showcasing combined forces’ capability to detect, disrupt and deny hostile elements from establishing a beachhead.

The Philippine Air Force deployed FA-50 fighter jets while US forces provided High Mobility Artillery Rocket System capabilities, AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said.

In Sitio Bubusawin and Sitio Long Point, personnel simulated a non-combatant evacuation operation, Trinidad noted.

AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. witnessed the exercise with Vice Admiral Alan Javier, commander of the Western Command.

Also present were Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, commander of the 25th Infantry Division, US Army; Maj. Gen. Thomas Savage, commander of the US Joint Task Force for Exercise Balikatan 2026 and Rear Adm. Brent DeVore, commander of the Expeditionary Strike Group 3, US Navy.