The United States and the Philippine militaries are conducting annual joint combat exercises simulating the defense of the Philippine archipelago, as two allies seek to deter China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
The Balikatan exercises, a long-running series of U.S.-Philippine military drills grounded in a mutual defense treaty, began on April 21 and will run through May 9, involving approximately 9,000 American and 5,000 Filipino personnel.
This year’s drills will feature fighter jets, warships, and a range of advanced weaponry. For the first time, they will include the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), a mobile anti-ship missile system recently deployed on islands in the Luzon Strait, a strategic waterway separating the northern Philippines from Taiwan….