PH, Australia conclude first maritime drills in West Philippine Sea

The Philippines and Australia successfully concluded their inaugural three-day Maritime Cooperative Activity (MAC) on Monday, November 27, 2023, involving naval and air assets in the West Philippine Sea.

The activity aimed to enhance bilateral interoperability, test doctrines and protocols, and foster closer cooperation between the armed forces, according to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Participating Philippine assets included the Navy vessels BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Davao Del Sur, and Air Force A29B Super Tucano and N-22 Nomad aircraft, along with a Philippine Navy BNI2A aircraft.

Australian assets involved the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft.

The exercise underscores a shared commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with international law, supporting a peaceful Indo-Pacific.

Both nations support the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and reaffirm the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Tribunal Award as final and legally binding.