PH, US and Japan end fresh exercises
The Philippines, United States and Japan completed another round of joint maritime drills from Sept. 12 to Sept. 13 in the waters off San Antonio, Zambales, marking the second such exercise this month alone.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the 11th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) included exercises in antisubmarine warfare, interdiction, search and rescue, cross-deck landings and coordinated naval maneuvers.
The AFP said the activities not only boosted interoperability with allies but also underscored the country’s resolve to defend its maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea under international law.
Philippine assets deployed included Philippine Navy’s guided missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal, four FA-50 fighter jets, a C-208B surveillance aircraft and helicopters.
The United States’ Indo-Pacific Command sent the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS John Finn, a Boeing P-8A Poseidon intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and an undetermined number of Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, on the other, deployed the tank landing ship JS Osumi, highlighting amphibious and combined maritime operations of the exercise. The Osumi can carry up to eight maritime assault helicopters.
The exercise was held only 10 days after the 10th MMCA of the Philippines, Australia, Canada and the United States from Sept. 2 to Sept. 3, also in waters off Zambales.
Second drill in a month
In a statement on Thursday, the AFP said the MMCA took place in the waters off Palauig to San Antonio, Zambales, in the West Philippine Sea.
The 10th activity again included BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), supported by an antisubmarine AW-159 “Wildcat” helicopter, the Philippine Air Force’s W-3A “Sokol” search-and-rescue helicopter and a C-208B surveillance platform.
The Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class air warfare destroyer HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41) and P-8A “Poseidon” maritime patrol aircraft and the Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate, the HMCS Ville de Quebéc (FFH332) and CH-148 “Cyclone.”
The US Indo-Pacific Command deployed a P-8A “Poseidon” eye-in-the-sky.
The AFP was very pleased with the success of the four-nation exercise: “(The 10th MMCA underscores) the four nations’ strong defense partnership and shared commitment to advancing maritime security and regional stability,” the AFP added.
Key activities included a photo exercise showing the unity of participating navies, a vertical replenishment to test at-sea logistics and resupply operations and a personnel exchange conducted via rigid-hulled inflatable boat that enabled Australian and Philippine sailors to share best practices onboard.
The activity also featured a coordinated antisubmarine warfare exercise, which enhanced detection and tracking capabilities and concluded with a passing exercise highlighting the seamless coordination and interoperability of all participating forces.
In the same statement, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration in light of recent multilateral efforts.
“Just days after the successful conclusion of Exercise ‘ALON,’ the 10th MMCA reaffirms our collective resolve to protect our seas and uphold a rules-based international order. We will continue to build on this foundation of trust, proving that we are indeed stronger together,” Brawner said.
The ninth MMCA took place this April and involved units from the AFP, the Australian Defence Force and the United States Indo-Pacific Command.
