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Balikatan 2025 concludes joint Philippines-US maritime drills
The Philippines, United States, and Japan successfully concluded their six-day Balikatan maritime exercise on April 28, 2025, enhancing interoperability.
The multilateral drill involved naval and coast guard forces from the three allied nations, including the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The exercise took place in the West Philippine Sea, stretching from the waters of Zambales in the vicinity of Subic Bay to the Northern Luzon Command Joint Operational Area.
Despite the sighting of three Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy vessels near Zambales on April 26, the training proceeded as scheduled.
Activities included communications drills, division tactics, photo exercises, replenishment at sea, cross-deck landing qualifications, maritime search and rescue operations, and gunnery exercises.
Key naval and air assets deployed included the Philippine Navy's BRP Ramon Alcaraz and BRP Apolinario Mabini, Philippine Coast Guard's BRP Gabriela Silang, US Navy's USS Savannah and USS Comstock, JMSDF's JS Yahagi, and various helicopters.
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