Latest news with #Philippines-U.S.
Asahi Shimbun
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
U.S. forces deploy anti-ship missiles in Philippines and stage live-fire drills near China hotspots
A U.S. Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, fires at a drone during a live-fire joint Philippines-U.S. military exercise at the Philippine Navy training camp in San Antonio, Zambales province, northern Philippines, on April 27. (AP Photo) BATAN ISLAND, Philippines--The U.S. military has deployed an anti-ship missile launcher for the first time on Batan Island in the Philippines, as Marines unloaded the high-precision weapon on the northern tip of the archipelago, just a sea border away from Taiwan. U.S. and Philippine forces separately unleashed a barrage of missile and artillery fire that shot down several drones acting as hostile aircraft in live-fire drills on Sunday in Zambales province facing the disputed South China Sea. The mock battle scenarios over the weekend in the annual Balikatan exercises between the U.S. and its oldest treaty ally in Asia, the Philippines, not only simulated real-life war. They were also staged near major geopolitical hotspots, which have become delicate frontlines in the regional rivalry between China and the U.S. under former President Joe Biden and now Donald Trump. About 9,000 American and 5,000 Filipino military personnel took part in the combat maneuvers. At least 260 Australian personnel also joined, with smaller observer delegations from Japan and other countries. China has fiercely opposed the combat drills as provocative. Its aircraft carrier group sailed by a few days earlier near Batanes, where the U.S. military had deployed the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System on Saturday on Batan near the Bashi Channel just south of Taiwan, a critical trade and military route that the U.S. and Chinese militaries have tried to gain strategic control of. "The introduction of NMESIS into the first island chain for sea denial, sea control is another step in our force design journey,' U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm told a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, who were invited to witness the transport of the missile system aboard a C-130 Air Force aircraft to Batanes. 'We're not here practicing a war plan,' said Cederholm. 'We're practicing for the defense of the Philippines.' The U.S. and the Philippines have denied the annual combat maneuvers — which both said would focus on a 'full-scale battle scenario' this year — were aimed at China or any adversary. The lines between what's mock and real, however, have been at times murky. Asked if U.S. forces would pull out the anti-ship missile system from Batanes after the combat drills, Cederholm did not reply clearly. 'We don't broadcast when we're going in, when we're coming out and how long things are going to stay,' Cederholm said. 'All I'll say is we're here at the invitation and with the support of the Philippine government.' "But I'm glad it's here,' he said. Additionally, China had repeatedly expressed its strong opposition to the U.S. Army deployment last year of a mid-range missile system in the Philippines for joint exercises. The U.S. Army launcher with at least 16 Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles was repositioned in January from an international airport in northern Laoag city to a northwestern coastal area facing the Scarborough Shoal, where China's forces have used water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers against Philippine coast guard and fishery ships and fired flares near Manila's patrol planes, a Philippine official then told The AP. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to discuss the delicate issue publicly. Tomahawk missiles can travel over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers), which places China within their target range. During the combat exercises from April 21 to May 9, American and Filipino forces will also practice jointly defending Philippine islands by repelling hostile forces attempting to assault from the sea in the western Philippine province of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, and in northern Cagayan province near Batanes. Philippine Brig. Gen. Michael Logico said the combat exercises were crucial to strengthening deterrence against aggression in the Bashi Channel. "A peaceful region can only be maintained through a proper balance of strength between opposing forces until such time that … both countries decide that it's not going to be worth it to fight over this area,' Logico said. Early this month, the Chinese military staged largescale drills in the waters around Taiwan and renewed a warning to the self-ruled democracy not to seek independence. Chinese navy, air, ground and rocket forces staged the drills. The Philippines used to host two of the largest U.S. Navy and Air Force bases outside the American mainland. The bases were shut down in the early 1990s after the Philippine Senate rejected an extension, but American forces returned for large-scale combat exercises with Filipino troops under a 1999 agreement. Cederholm cited the tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel, along with Filipino scouts, buried in the vast American cemetery in Manila as proof of Washington's commitment to help defend the Philippines beyond the U.S. bases era in the Philippines. "We take our treaty obligations very seriously,' Cederholm said.
Japan Today
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
U.S. forces deploy anti-ship missiles in Philippines and stage live-fire drills near China hotspots
A U.S. Marine Air Defense Integrated System, or MADIS, fires at a drone during a live-fire joint Philippines-U.S. military exercise at the Philippine Navy training camp in San Antonio, Zambales province, northern Philippines Sunday, April 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) By JIM GOMEZ AND JOEAL CALUPITAN The U.S. military has deployed an anti-ship missile launcher for the first time on Batan Island in the Philippines, as Marines unloaded the high-precision weapon on the northern tip of the archipelago, just a sea border away from Taiwan. U.S. and Philippine forces separately unleashed a barrage of missile and artillery fire that shot down several drones acting as hostile aircraft in live-fire drills on Sunday in Zambales province facing the disputed South China Sea. The mock battle scenarios over the weekend in the annual Balikatan exercises between the U.S. and its oldest treaty ally in Asia, the Philippines, not only simulated real-life war. They were also staged near major geopolitical hotspots, which have become delicate frontlines in the regional rivalry between China and the U.S. under former President Joe Biden and now Donald Trump. About 9,000 American and 5,000 Filipino military personnel took part in the combat maneuvers. At least 260 Australian personnel also joined, with smaller observer delegations from Japan and other countries. China has fiercely opposed the combat drills as provocative. Its aircraft carrier group sailed by a few days earlier near Batanes, where the U.S. military had deployed the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System on Saturday on Batan near the Bashi Channel just south of Taiwan, a critical trade and military route that the U.S. and Chinese militaries have tried to gain strategic control of. "The introduction of NMESIS into the first island chain for sea denial, sea control is another step in our force design journey,' U.S. Marine Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm told a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, who were invited to witness the transport of the missile system aboard a C-130 Air Force aircraft to Batanes. 'We're not here practicing a war plan,' said Cederholm. 'We're practicing for the defense of the Philippines.' The U.S. and the Philippines have denied the annual combat maneuvers — which both said would focus on a 'full-scale battle scenario' this year — were aimed at China or any adversary. The lines between what's mock and real, however, have been at times murky. Asked if U.S. forces would pull out the anti-ship missile system from Batanes after the combat drills, Cederholm did not reply clearly. 'We don't broadcast when we're going in, when we're coming out and how long things are going to stay,' Cederholm said. 'All I'll say is we're here at the invitation and with the support of the Philippine government.' "But I'm glad it's here,' he said. Additionally, China had repeatedly expressed its strong opposition to the U.S. Army deployment last year of a mid-range missile system in the Philippines for joint exercises. The U.S. Army launcher with at least 16 Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles was repositioned in January from an international airport in northern Laoag city to a northwestern coastal area facing the Scarborough Shoal, where China's forces have used water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers against Philippine coast guard and fishery ships and fired flares near Manila's patrol planes, a Philippine official then told The AP. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to discuss the delicate issue publicly. Tomahawk missiles can travel over 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers), which places China within their target range. During the combat exercises from April 21 to May 9, American and Filipino forces will also practice jointly defending Philippine islands by repelling hostile forces attempting to assault from the sea in the western Philippine province of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, and in northern Cagayan province near Batanes. Philippine Brig. Gen. Michael Logico said the combat exercises were crucial to strengthening deterrence against aggression in the Bashi Channel. "A peaceful region can only be maintained through a proper balance of strength between opposing forces until such time that … both countries decide that it's not going to be worth it to fight over this area,' Logico said. Early this month, the Chinese military staged largescale drills in the waters around Taiwan and renewed a warning to the self-ruled democracy not to seek independence. Chinese navy, air, ground and rocket forces staged the drills. The Philippines used to host two of the largest U.S. Navy and Air Force bases outside the American mainland. The bases were shut down in the early 1990s after the Philippine Senate rejected an extension, but American forces returned for large-scale combat exercises with Filipino troops under a 1999 agreement. Cederholm cited the tens of thousands of U.S. military personnel, along with Filipino scouts, buried in the vast American cemetery in Manila as proof of Washington's commitment to help defend the Philippines beyond the U.S. bases era in the Philippines. "We take our treaty obligations very seriously,' Cederholm said. Associated Press journalist Aaron Favila contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Straits Times
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Philippines, US launch joint combat drills in 'full battle test'
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Romeo Brawner Jr delivers a message during the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises or Balikatan, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez Philippine Balikatan Exercise Director Major General Francisco Lorenzo answers questions from the media beside his counterpart U.S. Balikatan Exercise Director Lieutenant General James Glynn after the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises or Balikatan, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez Philippine Balikatan Exercise Director Major General Francisco Lorenzo, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Romeo Brawner Jr, Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Marykay Carlson, U.S. Balikatan Exercise Director Lieutenant General James Glynn, and AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Education, Training and Doctrine Major General Llewillyn S Banaag pose for a picture during the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises or Balikatan, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez U.S. Balikatan Exercise Director Lieutenant General James Glynn answers questions from the media beside his counterpart Philippine Exercise Director Major General Francisco Lorenzo during the opening ceremony of the annual Philippines-U.S. joint military exercises or Balikatan, at the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez MANILA - More than 14,000 Filipino and American soldiers kicked off annual military exercises on Monday for a "full battle test" between the two defence treaty allies in the face of regional security concerns, including tensions in the South China Sea. The annual "Balikatan" (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises will run for three weeks until May 9, showcasing an array of U.S. weapons that include the NMESIS anti-ship missile system and HIMARS rocket launchers. The Philippines will test its own modern missiles in live-fire exercises with American counterparts, according to a summary shared with media. Lieutenant General James Glynn, the exercise director for the U.S. side, described this year's drills as "full battle tests" where capabilities of both forces will be measured in multiple scenarios. Exercises include defending against missile threats, preventing invasions at sea, and sinking a decommissioned Philippine navy vessel in a maritime strike test. "The full battle tests is intended to take into consideration all of the regional security challenges that we face today, beginning in the South China Sea," Glynn told a media briefing. About 9,000 U.S. soldiers and 5,000 Filipino troops are participating this year, officials said. Small contingents from Australia, Japan, Britain, France and Canada are also participating and 16 other countries have signed up as observers. The exercises come as regional tensions simmer in Asia over China's activities in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, which neighbours the Philippines. Major General Francisco Lorenzo, the exercises director for the Philippines, said the drills were not directed at any country, but could act as deterrent against conflict. "The Balikatan exercise may probably help deter the conflict in Taiwan. But for our concern, it is only for deterrence of any possible coercion or invasion to our country," Lorenzo said. Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated the past two years over run-ins between their coast guards in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims sovereignty over almost in its entirety. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
