The Philippine Army (PA) and the Philippine Air Force (PAF) commenced their five-day Interoperability Exercise (IOX) geared at improving their joint execution of air and ground operations.

In a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the PA-PAF IOX is focused on enhancing the collaboration between the two major services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Dema-ala said the opening rites of the PA-PAF IOX were held on Monday at the 5th Infantry Division Headquarters, Camp Melchor Dela Cruz, Upi in Gamu, Isabela on 7 October.

Among the drills to be conducted include a command post exercise, subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE), and a field training exercise (FTX) and Dema-ala said the joint exercise also aligns with the Philippine Army’s strategic shift to territorial defense operations.

“The Army leadership challenged the training participants to test, evaluate, and improve their capability to conduct joint air and ground missions and ensure readiness in territorial defense operations,” said Dema-ala.

Meanwhile, Air Force spokesperson  Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the exercise primarily targets enhancing interoperability, combat readiness, and operational efficiency between the two services.

“It serves as a platform to evaluate and refine joint tactics, techniques, and procedures, while also strengthening collaboration between the PAF and PA, particularly in air-to-ground communication and coordination,” Castillo said.