The naval forces of the Philippines, the United States, and France are set to conduct a maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea as part of the upcoming Balikatan Exercise.
The multilateral maritime exercise (MME) will take place more than 12 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan, involving ships from the three participating countries as well as the Philippine and US Coast Guards.
The drills will include various exercises such as division tactics, gunnery exercises, and search and rescue operations.
Balikatan 2024 is projected to be the largest yet, with an estimated 16,770 participants, excluding additional participants from the Australian Defense Force, French Navy, and various government agencies involved in national security.
Furthermore, there are discussions to expand the Balikatan Exercise to include Japan, following a trilateral meeting between the Philippines, the US, and Japan.
Japan’s potential participation in Balikatan 2025 is seen as a positive development, reflecting an increasing interest from other countries to join the annual exercise.
Source: PhilNews24 | April 17, 2024
