Philippine, US soldiers conduct joint movement training at Fort Magsaysay

The United States and Philippine troops conducted a joint movement training at the Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija yesterday as part of their thrust to strengthen interoperability and reinforce the fundamentals of individual movement to build seamless coordination in the field.

The said training is part of the Exercise Salaknib 2026, which includes repeated drills such as sprints and low crawls, both forces developed a shared operational rhythm anchored on trust and common standards.

According to the 25th Infantry Division of America's Pacific Division, US Army Soldiers and the Philippine Army are side-by-side, rehearsing the absolute fundamentals of individual movement, adding that every sprint, every low crawl is about building a shared language of action.

“This is the foundation of the STRIKE and PROTECT pillars. It’s how we ensure that when we move, we move as one—safely and effectively. This deliberate practice is what makes a successful live-fire possible.”

During the said training, the US Army featured their new SIG Sauer M7 6.8mm rifle that uses a new 6.8x51mm (aka .277 Fury) round which is said to be more powerful than the standard 5.56x45mm and the larger 7.62x51mm NATO-standard rounds.

These new .277 Fury rounds are said to be powerful enough to penetrate modern body armor used by perceived enemies of the United States. It also has a greater effective range than the 5.56x45mm used in the M4 and AR-type rifles.