PH, US militaries stage drills on special operations near WPS

From the Manila Bulletin (Jul 19, 2023): PH, US militaries stage drills on special operations near WPS (By MARTIN SADONGDONG)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces (USAF) conducted two bilateral military trainings on special operations near the West Philippine Sea (WPS) recently, proving the strengthening partnership between the two allied countries.



Soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and United States Army train during the Maritime Special Operations Forces and Rangers Exercise Bronze (RAM) 01-2023 from June 26 to July 12, 2023 at Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan. (Photo: AFP Special Operations Command)

The Philippine Army’s (PA) 18th Special Forces Company and US Special Forces held the month-long Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) PISTON from June 12 to July 14 in Rizal, Palawan – near the Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Islands) in the West Philippine Sea.

The training focused on developing the troops’ abilities and interoperability in unconventional warfare, human rights/law of armed conflict, combat marksmanship, special reconnaissance/direct action, close-quarter battle, survival training, and mission planning, said Lt. Colonel Zandro C. Alvez, Chief of Staff of the Special Forces Regiment (SFR).

“This exercise demonstrated the strong partnership between the Philippines and the US, and enhanced their interoperability and operational effectiveness,” Alvez said on Wednesday, July 19.

Meanwhile, the AFP Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and the PA’s First Scout Ranger Regiment trained with their counterparts from the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment during the Maritime Special Operations Forces and Rangers Exercise Bronze (RAM) 01-2023 from June 26 to July 12 at Camp Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan.

“The exercise aims to enhance the interoperability of Special Operations Forces from the Philippines and the United States Armed Forces through field training exercises on jungle tracking, survival, patrolling, and air field seizure,” the AFP SOCOM said.

The participants reviewed techniques, tactics, and procedures (TTPs) from both armed forces and improved them to ensure these were integrated throughout the execution of Scout Ranger and maritime special operations.

The AFP and USAF have ramped up their military cooperation under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. – a 360-degree turn to the foreign policy of the previous Duterte administration which developed warmer ties with China.

This appears to be supported by majority of the Filipinos as a survey commissioned by an international think tank last week showed eight out of 10 respondents favored the strengthening military cooperation between the Philippines and US amid the security tension in the West Philippine Sea, according to a report from state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA).

The survey commissioned by Stratbase ADRI Institute and conducted by Pulse Asia from June 19 to 23 showed 80 percent among 1,200 respondents agreed that “alliances should be formed and relationships should be strengthened with other countries that have similar beliefs to the Philippines to defend the territorial and economic rights of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea and protect international order.”

Meanwhile, 17 percent of the respondents were undecided.

The results of the survey were released on the seventh year anniversary of the arbitral ruling on South China Sea last July 12.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/19/ph-us-militaries-stage-drills-on-special-operations-near-wps