AFP uses decommissioned BRP Miguel Malvar for Balikatan maritime strike exercise

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will use the decommissioned BRP Miguel Malvar for a maritime strike exercise as part of the Balikatan Exercises in San Antonio, Zambales on Monday, May 5.

The event serves as a symbolic farewell to the most decorated warship of the Philippine Navy and will involve engaging the ship beyond 12 nautical miles off the Zambales coast with various missile systems including FA-50 fighter aircraft and A-29 Super Tucanos from both Filipino and US forces.

AFP is awaiting confirmation from President Marcos Jr. regarding his attendance at the exercise, which follows previous Balikatan maritime strike drills in April 2023 involving BRP Pangasinan and last year's exercises with BRP Lake Caliraya.

During the exercise, Spike NLOS missiles, C-STAR anti-ship cruise missiles, and potentially the NMESIS will be used to engage the ship, alongside US assets such as F-16 and F-18 fighter jets.

The BRP Miguel Malvar, originally built as USS Brattleboro in 1944, served during World War II, the Vietnam War, and conflicts in Mindanao before being decommissioned by the Navy in 2021.