The Philippines, United States, and France on Monday wrapped up the first multilateral maritime exercise (MME) in the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

The MME is part of the ongoing Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) war games between Manila and Washington.

Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado, the Balikatan Combined Joint Information Bureau chief, said the recently concluded MME in Palawan “marks a historic milestone in regional security cooperation” among the participants.

The Philippine Navy’s offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz and dock landing ship BRP Davao Del Sur, the US Navy’s dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry, as well as the French Navy’s FS Vendemiaire, a Floreal-class frigate, conducted a series of sea exercises from 25 to 29 April.

Salgado said the five-day multilateral maritime exercise culminated in “impressive naval demonstrations,” including a photo exercise “showcasing their professionalism and coordination in a simulated formation sailing scenario and documenting operations through proper photographic techniques for military purposes.”

The participating navies also performed surface gun exercises, testing their live-fire capabilities and communication skills in a challenging environment.

“The first-ever MME provided the participating countries the knowledge and expertise which will be used to propel their naval forces to even greater capabilities,” Salgado said.

“As the newest and one of the key activities in this year’s Balikatan, it enhanced preparedness and interoperability to address evolving challenges in the maritime domain,” he added.