Philippine-US forces conduct joint landing drill off Cagayan coast

On Saturday, Philippine and U.S. forces conducted a high-intensity Counter-landing and Live-Fire Exercise in Barangay Dodan, Aparri, Cagayan as part of 'Exercise Balikatan 40-25'.

The drill simulated the detection of an Amphibious Task Group attempting to land along the northern coastline facing Taiwan across the South China Sea.

Joint Philippine-US forces executed a coordinated counter-landing operation using Sabrah battle tanks, Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs), and ATMOS 155mm self-propelled howitzers, demonstrating combined strength and seamless interoperability.

U.S. assets such as AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, F-16 aircrafts, and P-8A Poseidon aircraft provided air and ground support, enhancing real-time targeting capabilities.

The exercise involved various Philippine units including the Marine Corps, Army, Special Operations Command, and Air Force working alongside U.S. counterparts to reinforce shared resolve in protecting strategic coastal areas and upholding maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.