The Philippine Navy confirmed it will deploy a vessel and personnel to join this year’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise, a biennial international military exercise hosted by the Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet.

Navy spokesperson, Commander John Pierce Alcos, said the country will be sending one of its naval ships to participate in the world’s largest maritime warfare exercise.

“Last time, it was BRP Antonio Luna, we sent that. But this year we will be sending another ship, a landing dock. We won’t be sending a frigate, we will be sending a landing dock this time around,” Alcos said in an ambush interview earlier this week.

According to Alcos, the Philippine Navy is set to hold a sendoff ceremony in the first week of June for the RIMPAC drills.

“It is really important because all of the countries under the US (United States) alliance will be joining the Rim of the Pacific. It is one of the biggest, if not the largest, naval exercises in the world. So we have to be there,” he said.

Alcos stressed that such an exercise will help boost the country’s interoperability and capability amid the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea.

“The reason why we conduct exercises with like-minded Navies or like-minded nations is for us to enhance interoperability or to improve the conduct of combined operations, so in times of crisis, whether it be actual war or disaster response, we can seamlessly integrate with each other and successfully achieve our respective missions,” he said.