IKINAKASA na ang isasagawang malakihang joint war exercise ng Pilipinas at United States (US) militaries na sasalihan ng ilang allied countries na gaganaping sa hilaga at kanlurang bahagi ng Pilipinas , ayon sa executive agent ng RP-US 2024 Balikatan exercise na si Colonel Michael Logico.
“Batanes is one of the locations that we are considering in the execution of Balikatan. We will also be doing maritime exercises west of Palawan and we will also be doing integrated air missile defense exercises in Central Luzon,” ani Logico.
Ayon kay Logico, hindi gaganapin ang Balikatan sa karaniwang training areas tulad ng Fort Magsaysay at Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base (CERAB).
“So now, we are actually pushing out into key locations throughout the country, primarily in the north and also in the west,” aniya.
Nabatid na sasali sa nasabing sabayang pagsasanay militar ang France at Australia. Bukod sa United States forces mula sa US INDOPACOM, sasabak DIN ang Australian Defense Force at French Navy.
“We have also sent our invitation to the Japanese Self Defense forces although right now, I have not yet confirmed if they have accepted the invitation to join us in the exercises,” aniya.
“In this Balikatan, we are also going for more inter-agency collaboration. So in previouses exercises, it was just purely military to military. Ngayon, we are also going to involve other agencies in this exercise, primarily the PCG, PNP, and other invited participants for the cyberdefense and information exercises,” ani Logico.
Mas marami ring kalahok ang inimbitahan sa para sa cyber defense at information warfare exercises, bukod sa mga inimbitahan foreign observers.
Nabatid kay Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla na kasado na ang 39th iteration ng Balikatan Exercise sa ikatlong linggo ng April hanggang unang linggo ng Mayo, kung saan gagamitin ang mga makabagong sandata ng AFP na kanilang nabili sa ilalim ng kanilang modernization program.
“The schedules include a command and control exercise or the C2X, humanitarian civic assistance projects and engagements and the series of field training events,” ani Padilla.
Magiging tampok sa nasabing pagsasanay ang gaganaping maritime strike exercise kung saan isang sea vessel ang magiging target palulubugin gamit ang mga makabagong armas.
