Manila hosted a seven-nation security exercise focused on the rising use of drones as weapons.
The exercise brought together senior officials from Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the UK and Vietnam.
Photograph courtesy of U.S. in Manila
Marking the 80th anniversary of US-Philippines diplomatic relations and the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty, the US Department of State, in partnership with the Government of the Philippines, hosted a five-day Capstone Workshop and Combined Tabletop Exercise in Manila recently.
The event brought together senior operational leaders from across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen regional defenses against the growing threat of weaponized unmanned aircraft systems and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials.
Hosted by the State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation (Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Response and Planning) and the Philippines’ Anti-Terrorism Council Program Management Center, the workshop convened delegations from Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
The event marked the culmination of a regional training series, launched in 2025, addressing the convergence of two of the fastest-evolving security threats facing the region: the proliferation of low-cost, commercially available drones, and the persistent risk of CBRN materials falling into the hands of malicious actors.
Over the course of the week, participants worked through an intensive, scenario-based tabletop exercise addressing early warning and intelligence-sharing, crisis response, technical and forensic investigation, and cross-border prosecution of UAS-CBRN threats.
“This workshop shows what’s possible when countries combine ingenuity, expertise and resolve. Together with our partners across the Indo-Pacific, we’re building the tools and the trust needed to stay ahead of tomorrow’s threats. Collaboration like this reduces the threat of terrorists using drones to threaten our people,” said executive director of the Anti-Terrorism Council-Program Management Center Undersecretary Hansel Marantan.
The workshop also featured a dedicated Technology Showcase on 27 August, where leading US technology companies presented counter-UAS and CBRN detection solutions directly to defense, law enforcement, and emergency-response officials from participating nations.
The showcase reflected the Trump administration’s renewed focus on advancing American technological innovation and ensuring US industry remains at the forefront of solving critical global security challenges alongside our allies and partners.
This event culminates previous regional engagements held over the past year and a half and reflects the Department of State’s broader strategy of strengthening interagency and cross-border cooperation to counter emerging security threats across Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.
