Philippine, Australian warships conduct largest Exercise Alon

Philippine and Australian warships conducted joint naval drills off southwest Lubang Island, Mindoro, on Tuesday, August 19, as part of Exercise Alon 2025 which began in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Aug. 15.

This year's exercise is the largest iteration since it started in 2023, involving more than 3,600 personnel from both countries and additional contingents from the United States Marine Corps and Royal Canadian Navy.

The drills include a range of operations such as personnel transfer drills, communications exercises, officer of the watch manning exercise, combined anti-submarine exercises, night steaming in company, and flight quarters drills to enhance interoperability and operational readiness.

Activities also aim to strengthen maritime security cooperation between Philippine and Australian militaries amid ongoing tensions with China over its presence in the West Philippine Sea.

Vice Admiral Justin Jones of Australia's Joint Operations Command highlighted the exercise as an opportunity to practice collaboration in responding to shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

The joint maneuvers will continue until Aug. 29, covering key locations in Palawan and Luzon.