Philippines, allies practice how to repulse amphibious assault landing
American, Australian and New Zealand ground and air forces joined the Filipino soldiers in the first of two counter-landing exercises, part of this year’s Balikatan iteration.
Photo from Exercise Balikatan Facebook page.
Joe M. Reyes | April 31, 2029
PUERTO PRINCESA — Hundreds of Filipino and allied troops took defensive positions on a beach to repulse an amphibious assault landing from an imaginary hostile force in an exercise in a coastal area in Aborlan, Palawan.
American, Australian and New Zealand ground and air forces joined the Filipino soldiers in the first of two counter-landing exercises, part of this year’s Balikatan iteration.
A second counter-landing drill will take place in Ilocos Norte next month to test the Philippines’ combat readiness as tensions with China rises in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement, the Balikatan’s Joint Combined Information Bureau (CJIB) said drills also test fired the Americans’ shore-to-ship and short-range air defense missiles, to repulse an imaginary enemy landing in the beach.
As the enemy vessel approached the coast, the CJIB said, the US High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) engaged the targets.
“As enemy assault amphibious vehicles and fast boats raced toward the beach in the training scenario, targets were met with fire from mortars, Stingers, and anti-armor systems like the Javelin and Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided missiles,” CJIB said.
“The event culminated with a final defensive line of direct-fire weapons from all participating nations engaging the last wave of targets, neutralizing the threat, and successfully defending the beachhead.”
It said the troops “successfully coordinated fires from the land and air to defeat a simulated adversary attack.”
CJIB said the troops showcased their ability to “sense the actions of a dynamic notional enemy, make collective real-time decisions, and coordinate an array of fire from missile systems, fighter aircraft, mortars, and machine guns.”
“They combined advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities with lethal firepower through a combined, multi-domain command and control node to think, decide, and act as one team,” it added.
CJIB said over 500 troops from the four allied countries took part in the counter-landing exercise, one of the training activities under Balikatan, which opened last April 20 and will run until May 8. (Also read: Teodoro: Prepare for a conventional war scenario)
The site of the counter-landing live fire exercise is fronting the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea. (Also read: Testing CADC strategy: deterrence drills)
China has become aggressive in its claim over the contested West Philippine Sea in the past several years, harassing Philippine government vessels and aircraft and even fishing boats. (Also read: Navy rejects maritime cooperation with China)
“We can talk about all the capabilities we have, but the integration of those capabilities is the cornerstone of how this is done right,” said US Marine Corps Col. G.J Flynn III, commanding officer of the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin.
“The friendships that we made being in the dirt in defensive positions alongside each other, that is what really matters about this event,” added Flynn.
Col. Dennis Hernandez, Balikatan spokesperson on the Philippine side, cited the importance of the exercise, saying this ensures troops are prepared to protect coastal communities and territorial integrity “with precision, speed, and overwhelming coordination.”
“Beach defense is not the responsibility of a single unit or domain, it requires seamless integration across services and with our allies,” said Hernandez.
New Zealand Army Capt. Will Hutchinson, acting second-in-command of Combat Team Jackal, said New Zealand took part in the training to enhance interoperability with partner nations.
“The soldiers got a lot from working with a combined force and it’s something we’re looking to continue in the future,” said Hutchinson.
Australian Army Lt. Col. Benjamin Woolmer, commanding officer of the 5th/7th Battalion, said the exercise put on display “sophisticated capabilities” of the participating troops.
“Being able to share lessons with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and work shoulder-to-shoulder is a great end in itself,” said Woolmer.