A day after the country marked the seventh year of the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration award that junked China’s expansive claims over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), combined Filipino and American troops sustained their scheduled series of exercises on Thursday.
The Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 23 involving the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the Cope Thunder 23-2, which involved the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF), was carried out by joint forces, as both countries continued to enhance their interoperability operations.
Filipino and American marines were scheduled to sink a mock enemy ship in the waters of Zambales on Thursday afternoon as the two-week war games involving Philippine Marines and US Marine continued in Luzon.
The BRP Lake Caliraya, a decommissioned replenishment tanker of the Philippine Navy (PN), was the target of the maritime attack in the waters of San Narciso, Zambales by joint forces on the seventh day of the ongoing MASA 23.
The sinking exercise (SINKEX) or maritime strike was to happen just a day after the country marked the seventh anniversary of the UN arbitral award, which threw out Beijing’s excessive claims over the WPS.
It also occurs in the aftermath of the government’s report on the presence of Chinese maritime militia vessels in two features located in the country’s exclusive economic zone on the western portion of the South China Sea.
The SINKEX was the second for the joint training Filipino and American forces this year after the decommissioned Philippine Navy corvette BRP Pangasinan was also sunk during the Balikatan exercise held in April.
The MASA is a semiannual exercise between the US and the Philippines that is focused on mutual defense, strengthening relationships and rehearsing emerging aviation concepts.
For this year, its training activities include live fire events, bilateral air assaults and airfield seizures, joint forward arming and refueling and other aviation support operations.
Over the weekend, members of the Force Reconnaissance Group of the PMC and the USMC, who were joined by the Pararescue Jumpers of the 720th Special Tactics Group, 24th Special Operations Wing of the United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), undertook specialized trainings that included high altitude low opening (HALO), aerial sniping, jungle survival and casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) hoist training.
The activities were made to increase “tactical-level lethality” through the application of expeditionary air base operations, tactical combat casualty care, combat assault transport and military techniques, tactics and procedures.
Meanwhile, the PAF said its forces also trained and held the alternate insertion and extrication (AIE) and search and rescue exercises (SAREX) last week with the USAF in Palaui Island in Sta. Ana, Cagayan in the ongoing Cope Thunder.
“The exercise scenarios simulated real-life situations, enabling military personnel to develop and practice their search and rescue techniques, communication protocols and decision-making skills under realistic conditions,” said PAF spokesperson Ma. Consuelo Castillo.
“It also provided a platform for the aircrew and ground personnel of the two air forces to refine their skills, test their equipment and strengthen their teamwork,” she added.
Early this week, both air forces left Pampanga for Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu for the continuation of the Cope Thunder in the Visayas, tagging along an FA-50, two A-29B Super Tucano and five A-10 Warthogs for the war games.
Castillo said the aircraft would perform various air operations exercises over areas in Mactan and General Santos City.
PHL, US troops sustain bilateral Marine-aviation war exercises
Source: News Paper Radio
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