The Philippines and the United States begin today the annual, large-scale military exercise called “Amphibious Landing Exercise 2015” (PHIBLEX 15), which aims to bolster interoperability between the two nations’ troops and promote security cooperation in the region.
The opening ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the Naval Forces West (Navforwest) headquarters in Barangay San Miguel, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. PHIBLEX 15 will run until Oct. 10.
U.S. WARSHIP IN SUBIC – Children watch the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) as it docks at the Alava Pier of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Subic, Zambales, yesterday. The Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship will be one of two US Navy vessels taking part in the Amphibious Landing Exercise 2015 (PHIBLEX 15) which will be launched today in Palawan. (Jonas Reyes)
Approximately 3,500 US Marines and sailors from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3rd MEB) and Commander, Task Force 76 have arrived in the country to participate in this year’s 31st iteration of PHIBLEX.
The US troops, together with some 1,200 Philippine sailors and Marines, will work shoulder-to-shoulder conducting a command post exercise to practice communications throughout the battle space.
They will also hold field training exercises, which include small arms and artillery live-fire training.
Amphibious operations, ship-to-shore movement, combined arms training, and humanitarian and civic assistance projects will likewise be conducted.
The focus of the command post exercise, a new training event for PHIBLEX 15, “will increase the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) capability to conduct planning and effective execution of bilateral maritime security and territorial defense operations,” AFP officials said.
The exercise comes at a time when the AFP is shifting focus from counter-insurgency operations to external threats.
AFP officials, however, emphasized that the exercise has nothing to do with China or the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
In preparation for the conduct of the exercise, the US Marines have set up communications equipment, including the very small aperture terminal-large (VSAT-Large) satellite dish at the Navforwest headquarters.
The VSAT-Large satellite dish, which intercepts and distributes communication signals, will ensure strong connections in the remote areas where parts of the exercise will take place. This will provide essential communications to commanders and staff which will allow fluid coordination of events throughout PHIBLEX.
In addition to the VSAT-Large satellite dish, the US troops brought more than six tons of equipment including walkie-talkies, computers and generators.
Two US Navy ships, the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) and the USS Germantown (LSD-42), have also arrived in Subic Bay, Zambales, Saturday to participate in PHIBLEX 15.
The AFP, on the other hand, is sending BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS-16), one of the three Jacinto-class patrol vessels in Philippine Navy (PN) service, for the exercise.
Prior to the official kickoff of PHIBLEX 15, US forces along with their Filipino counterparts, have been engaged in various humanitarian and civic assistance projects such as construction of new classrooms in Palawan and Zambales and providing medical services to local communities.
http://www.mb.com.ph/large-scale-philippine-us-war-games-begin-in-palawan/
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