The Philippine and Australian military forces demonstrated their combined firepower and battlefield coordination in a large-scale Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFX) on Thursday at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija as part of the ongoing Exercise ALON 2025.

The joint exercise, conducted at Fire Base in Barangay Canantong, Laur, showcased the close operational partnership between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF). 

It featured a dynamic display of integrated air and land capabilities designed to enhance both nations’ ability to conduct rapid deployment, tactical maneuvers, and precision fire missions.

The CALFX highlighted seamless coordination between ground troops and air support, with live-fire scenarios simulating a high-intensity battlefield environment. 

Key components included Close Air Support (CAS), indirect fire support, and synchronized movements of mechanized and infantry units.

Among the participating AFP units were the Army Artillery Regiment, the 7th Infantry Division, and air assets from both the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Navy.

 The ADF’s contribution included combat elements from its battlegroup, bringing in advanced equipment and experienced personnel.

Notable military assets fielded during the exercise included the AFP’s A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, AW109 and T-129 ATAK helicopters, ATMOS 155mm self-propelled howitzers, and 105mm towed howitzers. 

The ADF deployed a formidable arsenal, featuring 155mm M777 howitzers, 81mm mortars, EF88 Steyr rifles, MK47 grenade launchers, FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank systems, and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornets.

Senior military officials witnessed the event, including Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete PA, Commanding General, Philippine Army; Lt. Gen. Arthur M. Cordura PAF, Commanding General, Philippine Air Force; and Lt. Col. Andrew Raven, Commanding Officer, 8th/9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, Commander Battlegroup Ram.

In an interview with the media, Nafarrete said the military forces from both countries simulated a counter-attack scenario with integrated air and ground fire support. 

“The scenario is that there's an ongoing counter-attack on the land forces. And we have here the fire support from both the Australian and the army howitzers,” he said. 

The target area, set 11 kilometers from the fire base, saw coordinated artillery strikes from the AFP’s ATMOS 155mm self-propelled howitzers and 105mm guns, alongside the ADF’s M777 155mm howitzers. 

The exercise also included live support from Close Air Support (CAS) assets such as the AFP’s A-29 Super Tucano and T-129 ATAK helicopters, as well as the Royal Australian Air Force’s F/A-18F Super Hornets.

“So it's really more on interoperability, on planning, and how to execute on joint scenarios,” Nafarrete added.

Meanwhile, Raven noted that the key outcomes of this training for Australia is demonstrating its ability to project a combat-ready and combat-capable force within the Indo-Pacific region. 

He added that such exercise reinforced its longstanding commitment to support vital security partners like the Philippines, an effort backed by the Australian Army’s extensive and historic combat experience from World War I to recent deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq.

For his part, Cordura said the exercise reflects the core of our Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, empowering regional forces with the initiative and awareness to project capabilities across the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. 

Cordura noted that partnerships with strong allies like Australia support our critical transition from decades of counterinsurgency to a modern territorial defense posture, optimizing both mindset and military assets for extended reach across the country’s vast maritime domain.

“Our allies' exercise like this allows us to transition fairly. Because we have been battling insurgency for more than 50 years. Now we are transitioning to a territorial defense operation,” he said. 

The CALFX significantly enhanced interoperability between the Philippine and Australian forces in key operational areas such as tactical insertion, indirect fire coordination, mobility, and command-and-control.

Exercise ALON 2025 is part of the broader defense cooperation between the Philippines and Australia, reaffirming their shared commitment to regional peace, security, and mutual defense readiness amid evolving strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.