Navy, Air Force launch maritime exercises

From Malaya Business Insight (Sep 22): Navy, Air Force launch maritime exercises

THE Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force have started a pilot maritime exercise to improve interoperability in internal security and territorial defense operations in Western Mindanao.

Rear Adm. Rene Medina, commander of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao, yesterday said the drill called “Exercise Ayudahan 2017” formally opened last Monday in Zamboanga City.

Medina said   the exercise is also meant to “enhance the overall coordination and responsiveness in the conduct of joint maritime operations in support to Internal Security Operations and Territorial Defense Operations.”

The military is facing several threat groups in Western Mindanao, including the Abu Sayyaf Group and the Maute Group which attacked Marawi City on May 23. The conflict is ongoing.

Military units in Western Mindanao are complementing the overall territorial defense operations of the Armed Forces in the disputed areas in the South China Sea which is on the other side of the Sulu Sea.

The drill, which will run until October 16, involves the Naval Forces Western Mindanao’s Naval Task Force 61, Naval Special Operations Unit 6, Naval Air Unit-Western Mindanao, Naval Intelligence and Security Group-Western Mindanao, Maritime Situational Awareness Center-Western Mindanao and the Naval Station Romulo Espaldon.

Participating units from the PAF’s Tactical Operations Command are the 15th Strike Wing, 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing, 304th Air Intelligence and Security Squadron (AISS), 722nd Special Operations Squadron, 505th Search and Rescue Group, Edwin Andrews Air Base Hospital and Philippine Air Force Engineering Construction Group.

Medina said the Naval Forces Western Mindanao is “hopeful that each participating unit will take Ayudahan 2017 as an opportunity to learn and develop their capabilities during the conduct of joint maritime patrols, surveillance and search patrols, and rescue operations in the Western Mindanao region.”

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/navy-air-force-launch-maritime-exercises