Balikatan 2015 to culminate with CALFEX in Crow Valley

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 28): Balikatan 2015 to culminate with CALFEX in Crow Valley

Balikatan 2015, the annual military maneuvers between American and Filipino troopers, will culminate with a CALFEX (combined arms live fire exercise) at Crow Valley, Capas town, Tarlac this coming Thursday.

This was disclosed by Navy public affairs office chief Cmdr. Lued Lincuna in statement forwarded to the Philippines News Agency Tuesday.

He added that troopers from United States and Philippine Marine Corps will use variety of ammunition and weaponry to accomplish a designated combat mission.

This activity aims to expand ground war-fighting skills and capabilities, improve ability to conduct multilateral operations and gain a broader perspective of warfare, Lincuna added.

Balikatan 2015 started last April 20.

Earlier, American exercise director Brig. Gen. Christoper J. Mahoney said the joint military maneuvers between the US and the Philippines is proving "highly successful".

He also stressed that the exercises have created greater confidence between the US and Philippine militaries.

"It's a win-win situation for the two allies," he added.

Mahoney also stressed that Balikatan 2015 is proving the biggest joint maneuvers so far as around 11,600 American and Filipino troops have engaged in land, air, and sea exercises which so far have proven very successful.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=756906