Army, Air Force troops stage ‘island infiltration’ free-fall drill
Army paratrooper conducts inter-island infiltration through military free fall as part of the week-long 4th PA-PAF Interoperability Exercise in Catanduanes.
(Photo courtesy of Philippine Army)
The Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force (PAF) simulated island infiltration capabilities through a military free-fall exercise in Catanduanes.
The joint Army-Air Force operational drills were part of the ongoing 4th PA-PAF Interoperability Exercise (IOX), which is set to conclude on Sept. 26.
Military free fall is a specialized form of tactical parachuting used by elite Army forces, giving jumpers the ability to manually deploy their parachutes at a specific altitude after a period of free fall.
In a statement Thursday, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said both land and air forces remain committed to building a joint defense posture that safeguards the nation through enhanced operational coordination and communication.
Army Chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete added that the interoperability exercise provides an opportunity to evaluate and improve the two major services’ ability to conduct joint air and ground missions in support of external security operations.