More than 8,000 Filipino, American soldiers to join Balikatan in Central Luzon

From InterAksyon (Apr 3): More than 8,000 Filipino, American soldiers to join Balikatan in Central Luzon

More than 8,000 Filipino and American soldiers are expected to join theannual Balikatan (literally 'shoulder-to-shoulder') exercises between the United States and the Philippines which will kick off on April 5, Friday and end on April 17.

Thirty military aircraft and three vessels from both the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States military will also be deployed to Central Luzon where military exercises will be held.

Of the 30 aircraft, 20 will come from the US military and 14 have already arrived at Clark Air Base in Pampanga last Monday, Colonel Arnulfo Burgos, AFP spokesman, said. Other US aircraft are expected to arrive today.

The aircraft will participate in the AFP and US Military troops’ joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR)-focused military training in Central Luzon, Burgos said. They will also provide air logistics support and services to both US and Philippine militaries’ service members.

Only one US Navy ship, the USS Tortuga, will participate in the Balikatan Exercise. It has already arrived Tuesday in Manila.

The AFP will deploy nine aircraft from the Philippine Air Force to join the military exercise. The Philippine Navy, meanwhile, will deploy one of its Islander aicraft and two vessels.

The AFP stressed that this year's Balikatan exercises will focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster response. This year's Balikatan is the 4th HA/DR–focused Bilateral Exercise; the first in 2008, the second in 2010, and the third last year.

The annual military exercise is a combined joint military exercise based on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty which is conducted every year to serve as a venue for joint and combined training between the Philippine and US militaries.

Also invited to join the military exercises are security officials from Australia, Brunei, Japan, Republic of Korea, and Thailand who will join high-ranking officers from the AFP and US Military in the Multinational Maritime Security Roundtable Discussion in Camp Aguinaldo.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/58550/more-than-8000-filipino-american-soldiers-to-join-balikatan-in-central-luzon