United States and Philippines Officially Launch Exercise Balikatan 25
The militaries of the United States and the Philippines officially launched Exercise Balikatan 25 on April 21 with an opening ceremony for the 40th iteration of the annual exercise at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila.
The ceremony marked the start of the exercise’s Full Battle Test, with humanitarian civic assistance projects and bilateral logistics operations already underway. Balikatan, or “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog, references the intent of the exercise and the Philippines-United States alliance.
U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James F. Glynn, U.S. exercise director and Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific said the ceremony was an occasion to commemorate collaborative training.
“We have more than 14,000 participants and over 20 nations invested in what is now a signature exercise,” said Glynn. “Operating shoulder to shoulder over the course of the next several weeks, we will be able to demonstrate our ability to preserve peace for the good of all nations in the region.”
“We will assess our readiness in all domains—air, land, sea, cyber, information and the emerging frontier of space—through comprehensive exercises that integrate tactical precision with strategic foresight,” said Philippine Army Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr., chief of staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines. “Over the decades, this exercise has adeptly responded to evolving threats, expanding its scope and enhancing its significance, demonstrating that true partnerships not only endure, but continuously thrive.”
“May Balikatan 40-25 embody unity in strength and herald a promise of peace through preparedness,” General Brawner said. “It is our way of ensuring that the AFP remains a capable, agile, and forward-thinking force—prepared to defend, ready to respond, and poised to lead,” he added.
The United States has previously said that it will trial unmanned sea surface vehicles and the Marine Corps’ Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) unmanned mobile launchers for the Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missile during the exercise, which will run through May 9.
This year’s edition of the exercise will also see the first-ever participation of Japan’s Self-Defense Force, with the Maritime Self-Defense Force to participate in joint training with the U.S. Navy and Philippine Navy in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone off the coast of Luzon.