Courtesy of Philippine military
NEWS

Phl, allies ramp up joint defense drills

Jing Villamente

The Philippine military has intensified joint training activities with allies and regional partners, conducting separate exercises with Australia, the United States, Malaysia and Indonesia aimed at strengthening territorial defense, interoperability and regional security.

In Camarines Sur, Philippine and Australian soldiers carried out live-fire and coastal defense drills under Exercise Kasangga 2026, simulating the repulsion of an enemy attack across land, air and maritime domains.

The exercise tested coordination, readiness, and territorial defense capabilities as the Philippine Army continues its shift from internal security to external defense operations.

The Australian forces’ participation focused on sharing their operational experience and territorial defense expertise with their Philippine counterpart.

Meanwhile, Philippine and US Army forces concluded the operational maneuver phase of Salaknib 2026, a two-week exercise held across several training sites in Luzon.

The drills integrated strategic mobility, maritime security operations, air assault missions, precision fire, and combined arms operations designed to improve interoperability and operational readiness between the two allies.