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Salaknib 2024 strengthens Philippine, U.S. military operations

FORUM Staff

Philippine and United States forces are staging the annual Salaknib exercise throughout the Philippines, bolstering the allies’ long-standing partnership by enhancing their militaries’ tactical interoperability and people-to-people connections.

Philippine and U.S. Soldiers train with the U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and conduct night operations during exercise Salaknib 2024 at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines.
VIDEO CREDIT: SPC. ABREANNA GOODRICH/STAFF SGT. TIFFANY BANKS/U.S. ARMY

The exercise, conducted in two phases of about 10 days each in April and May 2024, overlaps with Balikatan, the largest annual Philippine-U.S. military exercise, which in 2024 includes the Australian and French militaries as participants and 14 observer nations.

The exercises are taking place amid increasing assertiveness by Chinese ships in the South China Sea. Chinese coast guard vessels repeatedly have rammed, blocked and fired water cannons at Philippine boats delivering supplies to a military outpost on Second Thomas Shoal. An international tribunal in 2016 declared the shoal is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Salaknib features Philippine and U.S. brigade combat teams collaborating to enhance combined command and control and strengthen capabilities to defend the Philippines. About 1,300 troops are expected to participate.

The exercise, led by the Philippine Army and sponsored by the U.S. Army Pacific, encompasses the spectrum of military operations. “This exercise, which began in 2016, is a cornerstone of the relationship between our armies, reinforcing our shared values and building upon our collective strength toward ensuring a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region,” Maj. Gen. Marcus Evans, commanding general of the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, said at an opening ceremony at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija province. “Over the course of this exercise, Soldiers from both the United States and the Philippine armies will train side by side to exchange expertise, enhance interoperability and foster camaraderie, while also refining how we operate in the Indo-Pacific and jungle environments.”

For the first time, Salaknib includes the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC), a U.S. Army initiative that incorporates a region’s unique features — in this case, remote environments — into the training regimen. The JPMRC supports the Philippine Army’s development of its Combat Readiness Training Area at Fort Magsaysay.

A highlight of the exercise’s initial phase was deployment of a U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system in Northern Luzon. Delivered by a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft, the MRC comprises a battery operations center, four launchers, transport vehicles and modified trailers. The launchers can fire Standard Missile 6 and Tomahawk weapons that can reach offshore and mainland targets.

Also during the first phase, Soldiers participated in field training and live-fire exercises, and shared best practices in fire support, communications, engineering, counter-improvised explosive devices and aviation. Classes addressed medical procedures, air traffic control, weather capabilities, vehicle operation, nighttime capabilities and sniper tactics.

“We worked directly with the Philippine Army and Philippine Army Reserve in Cavite and Isabela provinces,” U.S. Army Reserve Command Sgt. Maj. Oskar Ramirez, of the 3rd Mobilization Support Group, told FORUM. “Our goal was to establish a baseline of mobilization capabilities and provide recommendations on best practices for rapid mobilization and supporting training paths and requirements. The exercise was extremely successful and is opening the door for further integration between Philippine and U.S. forces.”

The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East drive “an increased sense of urgency to focus on these partnerships that we’ve developed decades ago and it’s our responsibility to continue to build on these unique training opportunities,” Evans told The Associated Press.

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