The Philippines and the United States launched their annual joint military exercises on Monday, aimed at defending against missile threats, repelling maritime invasions, and conducting a test involving the sinking of a decommissioned Philippine Navy vessel.
The annual 'Balikatan' (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises involve more than 14,000 Filipino and American troops and will run until May 9. The drills will feature a display of various US weapons systems, including anti-ship missile systems and rocket launchers. The Philippines will also test its modern missile systems during live-fire exercises.
Last year, the US and the Philippines concluded one of their largest-ever joint military exercises, which took place in the South China Sea and involved a barrage of missiles launched at a mock enemy warship.
US Lieutenant General James Glynn, the lead exercise director from the US side, described this year's drills as full battle tests where the capabilities of both forces will be measured in multiple scenarios. He emphasized that these comprehensive combat tests aim to take into account all regional security challenges faced by the two nations
