TINIYAK ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na hindi makaaapekto sa umiiral na tension sa West Philippine Sea o sa relasyon sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at ng China gaganaping 38th Balikatan Exercise 2023 na pormal na pinasimulan kahapon.
Sa ginanap na opening ceremony kahapon ng Joint PH-US Balikatan 38-2023 sa AFP Commission Officers Club ay inihayag ni Heneral Andres Centino AFP chief of Staff na unang pagkakataon ay ilalabas at gagamitin sa pagsasanay ang kanilang mga modernong kagamitan.
“For the AFP, in particular, this year’s ‘Balikatan’ Exercise is most timely, as we fast-track the enhancement of our capabilities for maritime security and domain awareness, as well as our employment concept of newly acquired equipment and weapon systems under our modernization program and application of newly developed doctrines – with the end-in-view of projecting a credible defense posture,” pahayag ni AFP chief of staff Gen. Andres Centino.
Tampok sa nasabing war games ang gagawing live fire exercises sa Zambales at kung saan gamit ang mga makabagong armas ng US at Pilipinas ay palulubugin ang decommission Philippine Navy warship BRP Pangasinan PS 31.
Sa nasabing “sinkex” Singking Exercise ay tatangkaing palubugin ng land, air, and sea asset ng Philippine Navy , Philippine Air Force at Philippine Army ang lumang Navy Corvett.
Ang nasabing littoral exercise ay paghahanda lamang sa hukbo na maka depensa sakaling may mga puwersang aatake sa bansa, ayon sa isang opisyal.
“We do not just fire into the sea, we have to have a target that, you know for proficiency in firing, you want our artillery guys to fire yes they fire into the water but,…they have to fire at a target that is close to an, closer to what we would expect in actual threat which is an intrusion coming from an adversary by sea, how will they do that, they will do it through a navy ship so we will provide the target and the target to sink is (Philippine Navy) PS 31, ani Col Michael Lorico Executive Agent for Balikatan 2023 Philippine side.
Bukod sa HIMARS or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System na gagamitin ng US ay ilalantad din ng AFP ang kanilang mga bagong biling ATMOS 155mm self-propelled howitzers, 105mm howitzers, S-70i “Black Hawk” helicopters, Embraer A-29 “Super Tucano” attack planes, FA-50 jet fighters, T-129 “Atak” helicopters, SF-260 light bombers, AW-109 and MD-520MG light attack helicopters, fast frigate patrol ship at landing docks.
Ayon kay MGen. Marvin Licudine, Exercise Director sa panig ng Pilipinas, ang taunan war exercise ay layuning higit pang mapaghusay ang interoperability ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos bilang magkaalyadong bansa.
Sa panig naman ni MGen. Eric Austin, US Exercise Director magandang oportunidad ang balikatan exercise upang magbahagi ng expertise ang dalawang magka alyadong bansa sa larangan ng maritime defense, coastal defense, maritime domain awareness at iba pa. (VICTOR BALDEMOR RUIZ)
PHOTO CAPTION: From left: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Exercise Director for Balikatan MGen Marvin Licudine, AFP Chief of Staff General Andres Centino, U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires Heather Variava, Philippine Navy BGen Noel Beleran, and U.S. Exercise Director and Representative for Balikatan MajGen Eric Austin. (Victor Baldemor Ruiz)
