Inquirer
Balikatan 2023 officially ends
The 2023 Balikatan Exercise, a joint military training between the Philippines and the United States, officially concluded on Friday after opening on April 11.
This year's iteration, the largest to date with over 17,600 participants, aimed to strengthen cooperation, boost capabilities, and improve interoperability between the two allied nations.
Key components included a Command Post Exercise, Cyber Defense Exercise, Field Training Exercise, and Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA).
A notable event was the littoral live fire exercise in Zambales on April 26, culminating in the sinking of a decommissioned Philippine Navy corvette, BRP Pangasinan, which President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. attended.
AFP chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino described the exercise as a "success" with "a lot of firsts" but acknowledged minor challenges with coordination and delays that need improvement.
The closing ceremony was attended by Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr., Gen. Andres Centino, and US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson.
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President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. observed the culmination of this year's Balikatan exercises, which featured live-fire drills between the Philippines and the United States in Zambales.
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Philippine, American, and Australian troops participated in an air assault drill in Ilocos Norte as part of the "Balikatan" exercises.
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The Balikatan combined joint littoral live fire exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces in Zambales was declared a success after a mock vessel was sunk.
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The United States and the Philippines concluded their largest-ever military drills, the Balikatan exercises, with a joint live-fire exercise in the South China Sea, firing rockets at a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship.
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The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is investigating a civilian aircraft that entered a no-fly zone during the Balikatan exercises in Zambales.
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