US-PH Joint Balikatan Exercise 2022 Highlights (Part 2)

This is the continuation of the series, and the last part that showcased all the activities that took place on the recently concluded Joint Exercise Balikatan 2022 between the Philippine Armed Forces and their counterparts from the United States Armed Forces, in the primary aim of interoperability and increased bond between allies in the Indo-Pacific region, especially in an increasing threat from a regional power like China.

RECAP FROM PART 1

An M-142 HIMARS or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System in position during the live fire exercise in Crow Valley, Capas Tarlac. Image got from Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

Before reading the details in this article, we suggest you will first read the highlights of the Joint Bilateral Exercise Balikatan 2022 Part 1, wherein it showcased the activities that took place during the first half of the bilateral military activity between the Philippine and United States Armed Forces, including some of the first time operations included in the largest iteration of the exercise that took place earlier this year.

To summarize the portions of that article, it discussed the preparation and arrival of troops and military hardware of the United States Armed Forces that were about to take part in the joint exercises, which it has done through the deployment of cargo aircraft like the known C-17 Globemaster and MV-22B Ospreys of both the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, respectively, aside from the ones from the sea like those onboard the USS Keith (ESB-5).

Also, flight operations onboard USS Keith (ESB-5) off the coast of Luzon north of the country also took place, wherein the United States Marine Corps, along with the United States Navy onboard the vessel, used the AH-1Z Viper, UH-1Y Venom Combat Utility Helicopters, and Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion Heavy-Lift Helicopters as it augments the Amphibious Operations from a companion Landing Dock ship, USS Ashland (LSD-48) to deploy troops and military hardware from ship to shore.

For the first time, this year's Balikatan Exercise includes the first amphibious deployment of a PAC-3 Patriot Missile System, itself being capable of eliminating threats that include cruise missiles, advanced forms of military aircraft, and ballistic missiles, wherein it has provided the significant cover over the airspace of Northern Luzon, especially that there has been increasing threat coming from a regional power like the People's Republic of China.

One of the primary highlight of the exercise that has discussed in the previous article is the Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise, of which the United States Army deployed its M-142 HIMARS or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (see image above), as the showcase of firepower coming from these sophisticated systems, along with those coming from AH-64 Apache Helicopters has shown between participants of both countries.

The first part ended in an Amphibious Operation that took place in Claveria, Cagayan in Northern Philippines, wherein S-70i Combat Utility Helicopters of the Philippine Air Force, alongside Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion Heavy Lift Helicopters deployed Marine troops from both countries, and the amphibious landing of the Philippine Marine Corps' KAAV-7 that were deployed from BRP Tarlac (LD-601) anchored just off the shoreline into the sea.

In this article, we will cover other events throughout the Balikatan Exercise 2022 that have not discussed in part 1, especially the ones that also have its own share of story and images that show active participation between the Philippine and U.S. troops that took part in this bilateral military activity, and all the interoperability and subject exchange that happened all throughout the rest of the joint exercise.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS MARITIME SECURITY OFF THE COAST OF PALAWAN

Philippine Navy Special Operations Group (NAVSOG), along with the United States Navy SEALs and Australian Operators with 2nd Commando Regiment, conduct maritime security operations off the coast near El Nido, Palawan. (c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

Military troops belonging to the Philippine Navy Special Operations Group or NAVSOG, along with their counterparts in the United States Navy SEALs and Australian Operators with 2nd Commando Regiment, conducted a joint special operations maritime security in the country's westernmost frontier territory of Palawan, an area near to the highly contested West Philippine Sea.

In this following image, troops who are taking part in the activity deployed and searched an offshore platform as part of the exercise that emphasizes maritime security, wherein such oil platforms once served as gas extraction platforms that have put out of service and has recently used as Littoral Monitoring Station of the Philippine Navy as part of securing the West Philippine Sea.

These long-retired oil platforms were the Matinloc and Nido Oil Platforms, wherein it produced 40 million barrels of oil for the last 40 years until they put it out of service in the year 2019, long before the Philippine Navy having the plans of converting them into observation stations or Littoral Monitoring Stations that overlook the Recto Bank and the Malampaya Gas Platform, in which these are areas that lie within the so-called 'nine-dash line' claim of China.

The Matinloc and Nido Oil Platform, given the images provided, has also used for a simulation exercise from year 2020 for the readiness of the troops assigned in the area in an event that the retired oil platform, now littoral monitoring station, gets attacked by elements from any potential opposition forces at hand, especially given that the oil platform lies in the body of water considered as highly contested between different countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan, and China. 

With the United States, Australian, and Filipino forces taking part in a simulator drills onboard, they may share and partake the knowledge regarding the operation of protecting a Littoral Monitoring Station like the long-retired Matinloc and Nido Oil Platform, especially at these times that China's hegemony over the West Philippine Sea increases such as in terms of arm up their artificial islands in the area.

Currently, the littoral monitoring stations are being manned to provide an effective presence of the country's armed forces in the area, as it does across the West Philippine Sea such as the Philippine outposts found in the Kalayaan Island Group especially in Pag-asa island, as well as in other areas like the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) where the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) was situated. 

This activity counts as one of the first time for this year's Balikatan Exercise 2022 to happen, especially that it happens in the area near the waters that is considered as 'highly contested' among neighbors, especially for a regional neighbor known as the People's Republic of China with their full armament of their outposts in the area, along with the active patrolling of their naval vessels, coast guard cutters, and maritime militia vessels.

COMBINED AIR ASSAULT COLD LOAD TRAINING

Both troops from the United States Army and their counterparts from the Philippine Army pose a photo, with the United States Army UH-60 Blackhawk Combat Utility Helicopter in the background. (c) DVIDS

In its own definition, a cold load training allows military participants to enter and exit a helicopter (such as the UH-60 Blackhawk Combat Utility Helicopter of the United States Army depicted in the image) while the vehicle is not in operation, as opposed to a hot load training that involves a live run, with an active helicopter in operation while doing the embarking and disembarking of troops onboard such a logistics platform.

The aim of this exercise is for troops to practice and hone the required skills in the training, especially to disembark and embark logistical assets like a helicopter, in the shortest amount of time possible, with time measurements to enter the bird coming at a standard of 15 to 30 seconds, while having a time of exiting an aircraft at around 15 seconds or fewer.

While increasing interoperability between the Armies of both the United States and the Philippines, this Combined Air Assault Cold Load Training portion of the joint Exercise Balikatan 2022 will provide significant benefits, especially for the Philippine Army, given that the Philippine Air Force get a fleet of S-70i/UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters the troops practiced upon, with their plans to have more in the fleet.

Aside from getting a training onboard a UH-60 Blackhawk Combat Utility Helicopters of the United States Army, the participants from the Philippine Army also had their training onboard a CH-47 Chinook Heavy-Lift Helicopter, a platform that the Philippine Air Force eyed for adding more medium and heavy-lift helicopter in its fleet, until it has decided that they will opt for Mil Mi-171 Medium Lift Helicopters from Russia, with it being a problem given the current Russian-Ukraine conflict at the time of this writing.

Apparently, the Philippine Army has a plan for its own fleet of helicopters, especially that their Aviation Regiment has formed and now needs air assets that will render them independent and less reliable from their peers from the Philippine Air Force, with 4 used UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters and 4 used AH-1 Cobra Helicopters were apparently arriving from United States stocks.

With the growth of the Philippine Army's Aviation Regiment, along with the fact that the Philippine Air Force is now adding 32 more Blackhawk Helicopters in its fleet of helicopters, gives this cold load training its huge significance, as this helps the troops belonging to the Philippine Army improve embarking and disembarking times at a small and quick allowance, assuring that there is a quick deployment and extraction of troops from the battlefield.

Eventually, this will become a norm not only for the annual Balikatan Exercises on the militaries of both the Philippines and the United States, but also for the military activities that the former is engaging on, in an essence that quick reaction times will help improve the chance of a successful military operation, with it assuring the peace and security of this nation against domestic and foreign adversaries.

BILATERAL AIR CONTINGENT EXCHANGE - PHILIPPINES (BACE-P)

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to 13th Fighter Squadron, 35th Fighter Wing conduct pre-flight checks prior to a bilateral air defense training mission during exercise Balikatan 22 at Basa Air Base, Philippines, April 1, 2022. Source: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS)

While being a separate activity from the rest of the Balikatan Exercises 2022 as this is a bilateral air activity between the United States Air Force and their counterparts in the Philippine Air Force, the BACE-P or Bilateral Air Contingent Exchange - Philippines still counts in this article, as this still exhibits camaraderie between pilots and support personnel from both countries, as with those in the entire Balikatan Exercises.

This bilateral air exercise took place from March 14 to 25, 2022, in which the event took place all throughout the different parts of Luzon, with Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga being the main airbase that caters both Air Force personnel and aircraft from the Philippine Air Force, as well as their counterparts from the United States Air Force (see image above).

Primary aircraft use in this bilateral air activity between countries is the F-16 Block C/D Multirole Fighter Jet of the United States Air Force's 13th Fighter Squadron of the 35th Fighter Wing (see image above), whereas their counterparts in the Philippine Air Force has the FA-50PH Lead-In Fighter Trainer/ Light Fighter Jets bought from South Korea, and the older "AS-211" Marchetti Trainer Jets, both from 5th Fighter Wing.

It is worth mentioning that the F-16 Block 70 Viper is being offered by Lockheed Martin to the Philippine Air Force as part of their Multirole Fighter Jet Acquisition Project, in competition with the Swedish-made SAAB JAS-39 Gripen Block C/D, both in which are offering at least 12 units or what is currently counts as a single squadron within the air branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Speaking of competition, the F-16 Block 70 Viper has an immense advantage in this field, especially in terms of interoperability and logistics related to this bilateral exercise between the Philippines and the United States, because such multirole fighter jet are being used throughout this air bilateral exercise between two air forces that has the highest chance or opportunity to have a subject discussion in terms with the operations and maintenance of the aircraft.

Currently, there are fewer movements from the Multirole Fighter Jet Acquisition Program, as the Department of National Defense along with the Philippine Air Force are still about to decide which between the SAAB JAS-39 Gripen Block C/D and the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper will be the preference for this acquisition project, as this comes originally as part of the acquisition plans for the Horizon 2.

It remains to be seen as to the outcome of the MRF acquisition project as there will be the change of administration, along with their respective approach and preferences regarding arming up the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and whether their priorities lie on dealing with domestic threats more than territorial defense that the country has, especially with the incursions China makes in the West Philippine Sea.

TO SUM IT UP

M-142 HIMARS with a Carabao during the conduct of the 2022 Balikatan Exercises.
(c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDSHUB)

Both Armed Forces from the United States and the Philippines have taken part thoroughly throughout the conduct of the bilateral exercises, which is the most successful conduct of the largest ever military exercises that have conducted since the Balikatan Exercises have founded at the turn of the century, itself fostering the ever-strong alliance between two nations.

This year's Balikatan Exercises are an essential thing, especially now that it took place in a country that is part of the first island chain in the Asia-Pacific Region, alongside countries like Japan and South Korea, as well as the island nation of Taiwan, which is counted by China as a rogue province that needs to be reunited under the Chinese Communist Party's Red Banner, either by peaceful means or by force.

It is in Taiwan's proximity to the northernmost part of Luzon that these bilateral exercises' amphibious exercises have taken place, with the Philippine Navy's Landing Platform Docks, Philippine Marine Corps' Korean-made Amphibious Assault Vehicles (KAAV-7s), and the Philippine Air Force's S-70i Blackhawk Helicopters playing a role in this operation, along with military hardware from the United States and military personnel who took part from both sides.

Also, this year's exercises came with its several first time activities, such as regarding the deployment of PAC-3 cannister Patriot Missile batteries in the country as deployed from the sea as part of its own amphibious operation, as well as the usual live fire activities involving the H-142 HIMARS or the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (image above along with a Carabao, an iconic Philippine Animal).

The special operations maritime security exercise that took place off the coast of El Nido, Palawan, in the known offshore platforms now managed by the Philippine Navy as Littoral Monitoring Stations, help visualize and provide the knowledge needed in adding or beefing up security measures in these long abandoned oil platforms, as this lie in the oil-rich area in Malampaya, sitting well within so-called "Chinese nine-dash line claims".

These activities help improve the relations of both nations, as both the Philippines and the United States have an alliance affirmed through the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty signed by both countries, wherein their respective armed forces will come to the aid of one another, especially now that the Philippines giving more of access of its military facilities in case of a spillover from the conflict that took place between Ukraine and Russia.

With this year's largest ever bilateral exercise between the Philippines and the United States being successful, it comes hoping a larger one will take hold by the following year, and the following years that succeed it, especially now that Chinese threats getting more and more serious as they keep on building up their naval power that further project its ambitions of domination over the Indo-Pacific region.

(c) 2022 PDA.

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US-PH Joint Exercise Balikatan 2022 Highlights (Part 1)

Annually, both the Philippine Armed Forces and their counterparts from the United States Armed Forces have joined in conducting in an annual bilateral exercise aiming in improving camaraderie, interoperability, and relations between both alliances that these nations foster, along with its diplomatic tensions amidst a rising China.

Here are the highlights for this year's Joint Exercise Balikatan 2022, Part 1 (covering March 28 to April 2).

NEWS

A Patriot Missile Mobile Launcher equipped with PAC-3 Canisters disembarked from the Landing Craft Air Cushion as part of the amphibious activities involving air defense system assets as part of the US-Philippine Joint Exercise Balikatan 2022. (c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

This year marks the 37th US-Philippine Joint Exercise Balikatan, the largest joint military activity that will conduct to date, wherein it will be involve almost 9,000 combined personnel taking part from both the Philippine and the United States Armed Forces, spanning multiple locations situated across the country and involves a different series of various programs and showcase different capability enhancements.

The exercise conducts annually to improve and enhance force capability of both Armed Forces, and enhancing cooperation on different military scenarios such as in conducting amphibious operations, maritime security, live fire training, counterterrorism, and subject mater exchanges in skills and capability that both sides share and work together, while fostering improved relations with the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty as the foundation.

While not seen as a show of force aimed against an immediate adversary, this exercise came timely as both China and the Philippines have their respective Coast Guard vessels sail near dangerously on one another in the highly contested Panatag Shoal, in which this is clearly shows as a blatant violation of the 1972 International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), an internationally recognized convention enforced by the International Maritime Organization or IMO.

This also came with the news that an official from the United States State Department reiterates its view that China's so-called 'claims' over the West Philippine Sea is unlawful, and not in accordance to the International Law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the International Tribunal Arbitral decision in the Hague that awards the decision to the Philippines that nullify the nine-dash line 'claims' of the People's Republic of China.

With the focus primarily on this year's largest bilateral exercises, let us provide each activity that both Armed Forces have conducted throughout the first six days of the 12-day exercise that has kick-start last Monday, March 28, 2022 and will end at Friday, April 8, 2022, as troops and equipment of the United States Armed Forces pour in the country for the initiation of the different activities covered by this bilateral exercise.

ARRIVAL

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster assigned to the U.S. Pacific Air Forces starting a final approach into the Subic Bay International Airport last March 19. (c) Defense Information Visual Distribution Service.

Last March 19 (Saturday), the United States Air Force's C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Cargo Aircrafts arrived into the Subic Bay International Airport, bringing with them troops and equipment that is needed for the exercise that is set nine days from their arrival in the Philippine soil, preparing the necessities that ensure the success of the joint exercise of both alliances.

Their arrival is also being augmented by the MV-22B Ospreys of the United States Marine Corps assigned to the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 or VMM-363 (assigned in Marine Corps Station Hawaii), in which they also brought with them their troops and equipment required for the joint exercise, giving and gaining additional experience in interoperability with their Philippine counterparts in this activity.

Speaking of the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 or the VMM-363, their flight to the Philippines from Guam served as 'one of the longest maritime VMM self-deployment flights in 1st Marine Aircraft Wing history', proving the capabilities of their MV-22B Ospreys in conducting such a lengthy flight, a show of how fully capable United States Armed Forces' logistics chain is in carrying all necessities in areas needed, whether in combat or in a bilateral joint activity like the Balikatan Exercise.

From March 19 to March 26, the United States Armed Forces got a timeline for them to prepare for the largest Balikatan Exercise dated, gathering all the needed materials and personnel that will take part in this bilateral activity, with the highest regard in the exchange of knowledge and experiences in military capabilities and combat, as well as the aim of improving relations of both countries and interoperability of their respective Armed Forces.

The United States Armed Forces' arrival to the country provided that preparedness that will set the activities of their forces and those for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, wherein the bilateral exercise came with different activities that have started in the first six days of the 12-day long military games and enhancements, discussing in the succeeding sub-topics of this article.

USS MIGUEL KEITH AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS

An AH-1Z Viper of the United States Marine Corps conducting Flight Operations onboard USS Miguel Keith. (c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

Just off the coast of the country, a United States Navy Expeditionary Mobile Base Ship starts its flight operations that involve AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters, UH-1Y Venom Combat Utility Helicopters, and Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion Heavy Lift Helicopters of the United States Marine Corps, wherein it involves logistical airlift requirements from ship to shore.

Given its background, the USS Miguel Keith (ESB-5) is a Lewis B Puller-class Expeditionary Sea Base, which is a relatively new ship that was laid down January 30, 2018 in a General Dynamics facility stationed in San Diego, California, and it got delivered to the United States Navy more than a year later on November 15, 2019. It took two more years until it has commissioned to the United States Navy fleet last year (May 8, 2021).

The ship's deployment provides logistics support for the U.S. troops and military assets that take part in the year's largest bilateral exercise to date, and may count as one of the first for the USS Miguel Keith in participating in this military activity between the United States and the Philippines, especially that it counts as one of the newest vessels that serve the United States Navy fleet in its continuous military operations across the world.

Apparently, the ship has provided support in the insertion of troops from the United States Marine Corps, alongside a Landing Craft Air Cushion unit as part of an Amphibious Operation that is assigned to another United States Navy ship nearby, referring to the USS Ashland (LSD-48), a vessel categorized as a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship commissioned in the early 1990s.

The synchronization between the said ships has to provide the sufficient amphibious support and logistics capabilities that the United States Navy showcased in this exercise, especially this operation now includes a procedure that involves the insertion and deployment of a capable and complex air defense system from ship to shore, aiming to provide support between alliances in aiming to have a secured air defense umbrella.

FIRST PAC-3 PATRIOT MISSILE DEPLOYMENT TO THE COUNTRY

Amphibious Assault now includes deploying a battery of Patriot Missile Air Defense System from ship to shore. (c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

Through the years, the Balikatan Exercise primarily focuses on amphibious operations that are limited to amphibious vessels, landing dock ships and marine personnel deployed from ship to shore, if not combined arms live fire exercise, or the not-so-discussed community aid and help on a small village near the combat practice sites that both the United States and Philippine militaries take part.

However, for this year's exercise, it will be a first time incidence that the United States Armed Forces will have an amphibious operation that involves a Patriot Missile Air Defense System landed on the beach, and for it to be deployed further in land, giving a significant portion of air defense for the Philippine airspace that augments the Philippine Air Force's SPYDER Ground-Based Air Defense System.

The said Patriot Missile Air Defense System came with PAC-3 munitions that can eliminate threats coming from incoming cruise missiles, advanced aircraft, and ballistic missiles, as this came with an advanced hit-to-kill technology that makes this capability possible, along with 43-mile (69.2018 kilometer) range that this advanced air defense system can reach throughout the 360-degree airspace that it covers, like in this case, the Northern portion of Luzon.

The said amphibious activity took place in Aparri, province of Cagayan in Northern Luzon, Philippines, which is roughly at around 600 kilometers from the island nation of Taiwan, a self-governing entity with a vibrant democracy whilst being threated by mainland China's desire of invading it as part of their policy of 'reunification' of both nations under the Communist Red Banner with 5 yellow stars that are being flown in Beijing.

While there is a long way to go for the Armed Forces of the Philippines regarding its efforts to improve its air defense as part of enhancing and further enforcing the defense of the country's Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone or PADIZ, an extra help from an ally in an event of a conflict like getting an air defense system landed on the beaches and getting deployed further in-land serving as reinforcement is appreciable, particularly as escalations from a regional power threatens the balance of order in the region.

COMBINED ARMS LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE

Four M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or better known as HIMARS, deployed in Crow Valley Gunnery Range, Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base in Capas, Tarlac.
(c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

One of the primary highlights of this whole 2022 Balikatan Exercise, the Combined Arms Live-Fire Exercise, comes with the most amount of firepower unleashed, ranging from ammunition coming off from Close Air Support Aircraft down to the artillery barrage provided by Multiple Launch Rocket Systems such as the four units of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or HIMARS, as seen in an image above.

Speaking of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System or HIMARS, there were talks regarding whether the Philippine Army should buy such a system for its use, wherein it highlighted an issue that the primary obstacle in attaining this option is that it the Armed Forces of the Philippines' tight budgetary requirements kept this from happening, and instead opting for alternatives such as the K-136 Kooryong from South Korea.

Aside from these sophisticated HIMARS that the United States Army deployed, other military assets that took part in this exercise include the AH-64 Apache Helicopter of the United States Armed Forces, A-29 Super Tucano Close Air Support Aircraft of the Philippine Air Force, CH-47 Chinook Helicopters of the United States Army, RCWS-equipped M-113s of the Philippine Army, several Humvee vehicles of the United States Army, UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopters, and military troops taking part from both sides.

Take note that both the AH-64 Apache Helicopter and the CH-47 Chinook Helicopters considered before for the Philippine Air Force's Attack Helicopter Acquisition Project and the Heavy Lift Helicopter Project, respectively. However, we all know that the leadership chose both the T-129 ATAK Helicopter of the Turkish Aerospace Industries and the Mi-171Sh from Russia, in which it is problematic given the current sanctions imposed by the West against Russia, because of the Russian-Ukraine War (ongoing at the time this article published).

As the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernize further, with the Horizon 3 getting implemented from 2023 to 2028, it will not be surprising that they will employ newer and more capable military assets in this exercise, as the whole point of it getting conducted is the interoperability of capabilities between both the Philippine and the United States Armed Forces, and to have a proper coordination between military units of both nations in an event that a conflict arise in the region.

BILATERAL AMPHIBIOUS LANDING AT CLAVERIA

Troops from the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), seen disembarking from the brand new S-70i Blackhawk Helicopter of the Philippine Air Force. (c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

Another highlight for this exercise is the Amphibious activity in Claveria, province of Cagayan, in Northern Luzon area with roughly 600 kilometers from the island nation of Taiwan, which faces the threat of invasion from the communist People's Republic of China and its forces from the People's Liberation Army, along with its naval branch and air force branch.

This activity includes a Tarlac-class Landing Platform Dock of the Philippine Navy, several of the KAAV-7s deployed by the Philippine Marine Corps, and the S-70i Blackhawk Helicopters of the Philippine Air Force (as imaged above transporting troops from the Philippine Marine Corps), as well the CH-53K Sikorsky King Stallion and MV-22B Ospreys (the ones that were mentioned earlier in this article), deployed by the United States Marine Corps, along with their troops as well.

In this simulation, the Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed many newer assets that are mentioned, especially that all of it resulted from the ongoing modernization program that will last until 2028 under Republic Act  10349, wherein these military hardware were basically nonexistent more than a decade ago, and the Philippine military troops typically riding along U.S. Military hardware at the early years of implementing the Balikatan Exercise.

Aside from that, both countries are benefiting in the interoperability, camaraderie, and, of course, the subject exchanges and military experiences between both Armed Forces as the troops that have taken part in the activity have learned a lot regarding getting together in the times of combat and also at the times of peace, especially now that chances of a heated conflict in the region is getting more likely through time.

Hence, this joint exercise is a friendly gesture of a growing military and diplomatic relationship between the Philippines and the United States, especially that both nations celebrate the 75 years of diplomatic relations since the former's independence from the latter, and also the 70th anniversary of the bilateral-agreed 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty that ensures the security and cooperation between both countries.

TO SURMISE THIS UP

A United States Air Force F-16 Multirole Fighter Jet took off from the runway of Basa Air Base in Pampanga. (c) Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.

The events that were discussed in this article are just some of the military activities that both the Philippine Armed Forces and their counterparts from the United States Armed Forces have conducted throughout the first part of the whole Joint Exercise Balikatan 2022, as there are more events to be covered on the second part of this article series, such as the Air Defense Training Mission exercise that involves military assets such as the F-16s (see image above).

Even with the events discussed all throughout this webpage, we can say that there are many things that took place, wherein it significantly help improves the diplomatic and military relationship between the Philippines and the United States, along with the importance of the former as part of the defense efforts of the latter in assuring the peace and stability in the region, particularly against the rise of another regional power like the People's Republic of China.

With the number of military personnel from both of the country's armed forces took part, along with the number of firsts that this year's Balikatan Exercises executed such as the deployment of Patriot Missiles north of the country, is a gesture that shows the alliances' resolve in adapting of ever-changing nature of threats, particularly that it took place in the area that is nearest to the island country of Taiwan, itself faced the threat of a Chinese invasion.

With from the resolve and the threats mentioned, the Joint United States-Philippine Exercise Balikatan 2022 gets more relevant than ever, as it may get the chance of increasing the number of military participants than the largest one it has to date, as well as the increasing use of various military hardware on both sides that emphasizes that interoperability that this exercise aims to have, alongside the increasing friendship and camaraderie between Philippine and U.S. troops.

To sum it up, the highlights of the exercise showcase the active participation of both sides regarding the different scenarios shown, from the sea to the shore, in the land and in the air, as well as in giving support to communities, in which several of these activities are to be covered in the second part of the article series, featuring this year's joint exercise between allies bound by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty.

(c) 2022 PDA.

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The BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) of the Philippine Coast Guard

The Philippine Coast Guard recently experienced unprecedented growth in its fleet, so much so that it saw a significant increase in the number of ships that are being commissioned in its fleet, especially with these vessels produced and originated from these two countries, naming France and Japan.

Speaking of Japan, it is now currently building the largest ship that the Philippine Coast Guard will soon be operating, and it will surpass the current flagship that the agency has in its fleet.

THE LAUNCH

The MRRV-9701 before launch. This is now named the
BRP Teresa Magbanua. Image Source.

Just last July 26, 2021, the Philippine Coast Guard's newest and largest vessel that will be delivered to its fleet was just launched from Japan's Mitsubishi Shipbuilding facility in Shimonoseki Shipyard in the City of the same name, Yamaguchi Prefecture, situated in the country's Southwestern portion of its main island of Honshu.

This is one of the two 97-meter Multirole Response Vessels or MRRVs that the Philippine Coast Guard ordered from Japan, which was done through the help of aid from the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA, wherein these vessels, aside from the ten (10) units that comprise the Parola-class Multirole Response Vessels, will be transacted through a soft loan via Japan's Official Development Assistance or ODA.

Given its size, it is said that it will surpass the currently largest white-hulled ship on the Philippine Coast Guard, which is the French-made BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301), an 84-meter Offshore Patrol Vessel made by the shipbuilder OCEA and currently serves as one of the largest aluminum-hulled vessels in service and also a stepping stone for the agency that will allow them to operate larger vessels like the one we featured in this article.

As we discussed before on this website, the warship's design was based on the Kunigami-class ships that are currently in service with the Japan Coast Guard, with minor variations in the specifications and the dimensions provided that will be discussed in detail along in this article, as we give information on those variations that define these Multirole Response Vessels that are being built for the Philippine Coast Guard.

In this topic, we are providing additional information and updated details about this big-ticket project of the Philippine Coast Guard, as adding two more large ships to their fleet is considered a highly significant investment for the agency to have, especially now that additional patrols of the country's maritime coastline and enforcement of the country's Maritime Domain Awareness are needed.

RECALL

A Kunigami-class Offshore Patrol Vessel of the Japan Coast Guard.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Before discussing the updates involving this new warship that the Philippine Coast Guard will be having, it is worth recalling and getting an overview from a previously written article about this acquisition project of the agency for the 94-meter Multirole Response Vessels, in which this was written in full in this article entitled "Knowing the Soon-to-Have Kunigami-class Multirole Response Vessels of the Phil. Coast Guard", written April 12, 2020.

In the stated article, it was discussed the history of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a company, wherein it started back when Japan experienced its industrial transformation,  with the establishment of its own shipyard in 1857 and since then helped Mitsubishi improved its expertise in the local shipbuilding business, helping Japan built its military and civilian vessels, which include Coast Guard vessels like the Kunigami-class.

It was also discussed about the Kunigami-class Offshore Patrol Vessels served in the Japan Coast Guard, wherein this was commissioned into their fleet way back in 2012 with 18 ships were built by multiple Japanese shipbuilding companies, including Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd, the entity responsible for the modification and construction of an enhanced variant derived from the original Kunigami-class intended for the Philippine Coast Guard.

Completing the article, the procurement of the Parola-class Multirole Response Vessels was briefly discussed, given that both the 44-meter Parola-class and the 94-meter Multirole Response Vessels were all funded under the Japanese Official Development Assistance or ODA, wherein it is a soft loan that the Philippine government will be paying at a payable through a certain time period as discussed by both sides before the implementation of both acquisition projects for the Philippine Coast Guard.

This gesture made by the Japanese in providing both the Parola-class and the 94-meter Multirole Response Vessel, as well as their reputation in building capable ships for both civilian and military uses, makes the Philippine Coast Guard a more capable beneficiary that will have these badly-needed white-hulled vessels, especially at these dire times that China is flexing its large Coast Guard Vessels big time in the West Philippine Sea.

UPDATED SPECIFICATIONS

The project profile of the larger Japanese Multirole Response Vessels. From PCG/JICA.

The larger, 94-meter Multirole Response Vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard is considered part of the greater Maritime Safety Capability Improvement Project for the Philippine Coast Guard, wherein the 10-unit, 44-meter long Parola-class Multirole Response Vessels were included and funded under this project, visualized in Phase 1 of the project as opposed to the Phase 2 of the project.

Comparing the project profile from the partial specifications provided in our previous article, there is not much of a change between the two, with the notable exception of its length that increased to 96.6 meters (rounded to 97 meters) from the original length of 94 meters, and a significant increase in the personnel complement, now with the combined number of officers and crew of around 67 people as opposed from the original's 57 people.

The rest of the specifications are retained from the original one, although additional information has been provided in the project profile that is not available from the original one, like the sea state survivability of the ship's hull that is capable of operating in the roughest waters that takes place in the high seas, notably the Sea States 6 and 7, the same ones that a capable ship like the Jose Rizal-class Frigates will take (although some reports indicate that it will take up to Sea State 5).

Other information provided in the project profile is the loan amount, contract cost for consulting services, and contract for shipbuilding purposes, amounting to Php 7,557,057,981.88; Php 170,086,389.41; and Php 6,682,175,243.78; respectively, all of which were converted from Japanese Yen to Philippine Peso as of August 20, 2021, with the exchange rate of Php 1.00 = JPY 2.18.

To wrap this up, Japan's Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. has provided some of the welcoming tweaks in the project, making it a bit longer than the initial design and even the original design that made Japan Coast Guard's Kunigami-class Offshore Patrol Vessels, as well as the capability of carrying more people on board, particularly on its added capacity of taking 36 survivors that is essential for it as a rescue vessel platform.

NAMING CONVENTION AND THE SHIP'S NAMESAKE

Since the entry of the BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) in the Philippine Coast Guard's white-hulled fleet as an active vessel, the maritime enforcement organization practiced the use of female heroines in naming their large vessels, such as the lead ship of the Philippine Coast Guard seen above with a name engraved on her stern, determining that the ship is the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), the lead ship of the Magbauna-class Multirole Response Vessels.

The first Japanese-made 97-meter ship produced for the Philippine Coast Guard, to provide some glimpse of the history of its naming, was named after a revolutionary hailed in Iloilo province named Teresa Magbanua, born October 13, 1868, as a daughter of Don Juan Magbanua, a judge who sat on the Court Instance of Iloilo City, and Doña Alejandro Ferraris, the daughter of Captain Benito Ferraris.

She was known as the "Visayan Joan of Arc" when she rallied her troops on horseback against the Spanish forces at the Battle of Barrio Yoting, situated in Pilar, Capiz, resulting in her force's victorious fight as part of her contributions to the revolution that took place in Iloilo province under her uncle, Major General Perfecto Poblador, and the Katipunan revolutionary army of Iloilo during those times.

Her contribution to the revolutionary is also clearly shown in the Philippine-American war and eventually against the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, wherein she joined her brothers that were ranking officers at that time in defending Iloilo province against the Americans at that time, while indirectly fighting the Japanese in her later life through her support to local guerillas by selling her personal belongings for their food and supplies.

With her act of gallantry against all three foreign occupiers of the Philippines during her time, putting her name in a Philippine Coast Guard ship is one of the ways to give her credit and respect in support for the country's independence,  alongside other heroines like Gabriela Silang and Melchora "Tandang Sora" Aquino, a name that will be engraved and given to the second Japanese-made 97-meter ship.

SUMMARY

The name of the ship, engraved in its stern. Image Source.

The Philippine Coast Guard is now in its full-throttle in modernizing its white-hulled fleet, as the country sees the demand in having more vessels of its type increasing with the ever-increasing importance of the country's maritime enforcement on its territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone waters, emphasizing the need of improving the country's Maritime Domain Awareness.

In the case of BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), its recent launch shows a recent example of the great transformation that the Philippine Coast Guard is currently undertaking, a renaissance of sorts that the maritime organization under the Department of Transportation or DOTr is getting that its fleet is becoming more capable than ever, in terms of obtaining such large vessels that can patrol high seas at a longer time allowed.

Take note that the Philippine Coast Guard will have two units of Magbanua-class Multirole Response Vessels coming from Japan, going alongside ten (10) 44-meter Parola-class Multirole Response Vessels, forming the complete assistance package that the Japanese government, through JICA, have provided for these acquisition projects to be materialized, which will be paid through a soft loan as agreed under the terms of the Japanese Overseas Development Assistance loan or ODA.

The possibility of having more of such white-hulled vessels in the future will not be far, as the Philippine Coast Guard is still working on its process for modernization, with projects such as the installation of Coastal Radar Stations across the waters of Visayas and Mindanao are also on their way its completion that will cover significant coastal areas that improve Maritime Domain Awareness in the process.

With these developments coming on their way and is on full implementation, things are very hopeful for the Philippine Coast Guard as it grows larger as an organization in terms of manpower, facilities, and the number of vessels that it acquired and integrate into its fleet, as more developments about it will be expected to be discussed across defense circles along with its resolve of showing its presence in highly-contested waters.

(c) 2021 PDA.

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