A High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) of the United States delivered “rapid and precise strikes” during a counter-landing and live fire exercise in Rizal, Palawan on Monday.
The training event is part of the 19-day Balikatan exercises between US and Philippine troops that started on March 21, according to the Balikatan information bureau.
Last Monday’s exercises opened with a maritime interdiction scenario, where Philippine Navy multi-purpose and fast attack craft “swiftly engaged and neutralized a simulated seaborne intrusion.”
“The operation demonstrated seamless coordination between naval and ground forces and transitioned into an integrated coastal live fire mission,” the bureau said in a statement.
Several other assets were showcased during the exercise, including howitzers from the Philippine Marines which initiated the “synchronized fire mission.”
“The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System was utilized to deliver rapid and precise strikes, reinforcing the allies’ ability to respond decisively to threats,” the bureau also said.
It said .50 caliber machine guns and M16 rifles were also fired, “contributing to the overall firepower and coordination on the battlefield.”
“The drill culminated with a precision strike from the HIMARS, highlighting the allied forces’ capability to deliver fast, accurate, and decisive responses to amphibious threats — an essential element of regional deterrence,” the statement also said.
Australia took part in the counter-landing and live-fire exercise although it was not clear what armaments were used.
Troops from the Japan Self-Defense Forces observed the exercise, the bureau said, reinforcing “ongoing efforts to enhance multilateral security cooperation and joint training initiatives in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Also under the Balikatan exercise, US and Filipino forces also conducted “helocast” training in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija also on Monday, said Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala.
Dema-ala said the helocasting is “specialized airborne technique that allows small military units to rapidly insert troops into maritime environments.”
“The exercise featured US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters which transported the participating troops to designated maritime insertion points,” said Dema-ala.
“Helocasting is considered a critical skill for both forces operating in the archipelagic landscape of the Philippines where rapid deployment across bodies of water can be essential for military operations,” added
“The exercise featured US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters which transported the participating troops to designated maritime insertion points,” said Dema-ala.
Meanwhile, a Philippine Navy frigate, BRP Jose Rizal, test-fired two launchers of the Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles (SAM) off San Antonio, Zambales on Monday.
The activity is not related to the ongoing Balikatan exercise, said Navy spokesman Capt. John Percie Alcos.
“The live SAM firing is a Philippine Fleet activity that is designed to validate existing doctrines and further enhance the Navy’s warfighting capabilities,” said Alcos.
In a statement, the Navy said BRP Jose Rizal hit “with pinpoint accuracy” two drone targets that were provided by US Indo-Pacific Command and Threat Systems Management Office.
The Navy said the “historic live firing” validated the “effectiveness” of the weapon system.
Other Navy assets – frigate BRP Antonio Luna; the Scan Eagle Unmanned Aerial System; missile gunboat BRP Albert Majini and coastal patrol vessel BRP Rafael Pargas — provided “vital support” during the exercise.
The Navy described the Mistral 3, developed by MBDA of France, as a “versatile, combat proven short-range air defense missile system with a ‘fire and forget’ capability”.
They were delivered in 2021 under the AFP’s modernization program and subsequently installed on BRP Jose Rizal and its sister ship, BRP Antonio Luna.
“This significantly bolsters the Jose Rizal Class Frigate’s capability with advanced weapon system which is a critical part of modern defense systems that ensure airspace security, strategic deterrence, and optimum operational readiness as the Fleet carries on with its mandate to uphold territorial integrity and protect the country’s maritime interests,” it said.
