Australia’s largest overseas military exercise officially kicked off in the Philippines with the launch of Exercise Alon 25, a two-week training that runs from 15 to 29 August.

The drills bring together more than 3,600 troops from Australia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States for land, air and maritime operations across Palawan and Luzon.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defense Force (ADF) are leading the exercise, joined by the Royal Canadian Navy and the US Marine Corps’ Marine Rotation Force-Darwin.

Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO CSC, Chief of Joint Operations for the ADF, said the size and scope of Exercise Alon reflect the growing strength of Australia’s defense ties with the Philippines.

“We’re proud to conduct our largest overseas exercise with the Philippines, and continue to build on our close cooperation,” Jones said.

“Exercise Alon 25 is an opportunity for us to practice how we collaborate and respond to shared security challenges, and project force over great distances in the Indo-Pacific.”

Now in its third run since 2023, the exercise has expanded to include operations in the land, sea, air, cyber and space domains.

This year’s ADF contingent includes an Australian Amphibious Force Joint Task Force Headquarters, the Navy’s Hobart-class destroyer HMAS Brisbane, an Army Combined Arms Land Task Group, and an Air Task Group composed of Super Hornets, Growlers and Hercules aircraft.

A major highlight will be a large-scale airlift of an Australian Army battle group, complete with armored, engineering, artillery and medical units, demonstrating long-range force projection.

Troops will also conduct amphibious landings, live-fire drills and maritime maneuvers designed to boost interoperability among participating nations.

Jones stressed that beyond the military objectives, the exercise is about fostering stronger personal and professional ties.

“The value of this training comes from the people-to-people links and the opportunity to exchange practices when we conduct an Exercise of this scale,” he said.

“We will come away from Exercise Alon 25 with experience that will enhance our interoperability with the Philippines and ensure that we can work together in support of regional security.”

Exercise Alon 25 is being carried out under strict safety protocols and with advanced community notifications to ensure public safety.

The event marks another step in Australia’s commitment to a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific, where sovereignty is respected and international law upheld.