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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India's Akash Air Defense Missile System Offer for the Philippine Navy

Some defense outlets have made rounds in reporting that three countries in Asia are interested in having an air defense system that has produced by a country like India, whose aspiration for defense arms exports is now getting set into motion. The Philippines, apparently, is one of those three countries said to be interested in obtaining this system.

IN THE NEWS

Akash Air Defense Missile System of the Indian Armed Forces. Image Source.

Three countries - Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines, have expressed their interest in procuring Akash Air Defense Missile System for their respective nation's air defense needs, as India ramps up its defense export needs after the success of its export sale to the Philippines for its BrahMos Anti-Ship Missile System.

This came after the Indian government recently approved the export of these indigenously made air defense systems, with it most likely to be an export variant intended for other countries that has expressed the interest in procuring them, as opposed to the ones currently in service within the Indian Armed Forces.

This shows India's aspirations in entering the Defense Export Market, competing with established industries originating from the United States, Russia, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, China, and others, wherein getting a significant portion will help boost their reputation as an arms exporter, while providing an industry that will help grow the domestic Indian economy in the long run.

Apparently, this air defense missile system is one of those systems being showcased for the Philippine Navy's Shore-Based Air Defense Missile System Acquisition Project, a fully different project and not to be confused with the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project that the BrahMos Aerospace's Anti-Ship Missiles won as the preferred system for the project.

In this article, we will purely discuss the development and background of the making of the Akash Air Defense Missile System, as well as providing its specifications and providing comparisons to the RAFAEL SPYDER Ground-Based Air Defense System that the Philippine Air Force will have in its inventory, and also an idea fully related to logistical and commonality of military defense platforms across the Armed Forces of the Philippines ecosystem.

INDIA'S DEFENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION

This Indian Postage Stamp defines India's Defence Research and Development Organisation as an entity.
Image Source.

Website: http://www.drdo.gov.in/

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation or known as the DRDO, is an entity that specializes in what its name describes for - research and development of Indian defense and military technology that can add or improve the country's effort to have its indigenous defense industry, focusing to the production of its own military assets and technological innovation similar to the United States' DARPA or Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Some of its known indigenously made products that have researched and developed as part of improving India's military capabilities include the well-known BrahMos Cruise Missile System, in which it was a fruit of a joint development between the DRDO and the Russian Defense Company NPO Mashinostroyeniya, with the BrahMos design clearly derives from the P-800 Oniks/Yakhont Missile system that produced from Russia. The BrahMos Missile System is the first export of an Indian-made defense product to a foreign country, with the Philippines as its first export customer of the missile system.

Aside from the BrahMos Missile System, DRDO also took part in researching and developing other indigenously made defense technology and military assets, as part of its efforts by the Indian Government in pursuing a reliable defense industry. The effort comes as a part of the greater "Make In India" initiative in improving its industry as a hub for producing different goods and products for their economic development, defense industry included. These include the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas that are intended for both the Indian Air Force and Navy and helped provided key avionics for the Indian Air Force Su-30MKI. 

Also, they assist companies like the Hindustan Aerospace Limited in the development of their programs like the HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter, in which this was currently being pushed for the Philippine Coast Guard as part of their offer, coming alongside with the Dornier Do-228 aircraft that is also included in the offer, as these are to be provided through a loan or what they say as a "line of credit" from India.

As many of the indigenous defense products that the Defence Research and Development Organisation has made to improve India's Defense Industry and in enhancing the capability of India's Armed Forces, it is at no doubt that India is now going outward to push defense equipment that are Made in India, now pitching their Akash Air Defense Missile System after the successful export of the BrahMos Missiles to a country like the Philippines.

DEVELOPMENT

Akash Prime test launch on 27 September 2021. (c) DRDO, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Akash Air Defense Missile System has inducted and entered the active Indian Military Service way back in 2007, at the time where multiple tests of the air defense system have made and showed its performance in the process in terms of accuracy, consistency, and reliability as these are the basis for both the Indian Air Force and Indian Army before officially getting the indigenously made system as part of their firepower capability.

While the induction has done in 2007, the indigenous development of what will be the Akash Air Defense Missile System has made two decades prior. Way back in the 1980s, India began indigenous development of a medium range air defense missile system that has sought as a replacement to the Soviet-era made SA-6 Gainful (2k12 Kub) air defense system, in which the Akash have apparently derived from this system that India primarily used during that time.

Given the resemblance between the Akash and the SA-6 Gainful, let us discuss the background of the latter, of which this was a 1960-era Soviet technology that was introduced into the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union in 1967 and has showcased in a Moscow military parade of the same year. This air defense system was both effectively used by Egypt and Syria in the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel, especially in the early days of the war.

As for the test flights, it took India at least a decade until the first ones have started in the 1990s, with enhancements and tweaks have ensured as part of the ongoing development of the indigenous air defense system primarily intended for the Indian Armed Forces, wherein it took them a decade and a half more before the first production and induction phase at around 2005/2007.

Currently, India's Defence Research and Development Organisation, along with the Indian Armed Forces, is still developing the Akash air defense missile system that multiple variants have produced since its induction in the mid-2000s and since then became part of the Indian Armed Forces' air defense system umbrella, now intending to export it to other countries like the Philippines.

SPECIFICATIONS

Akash Missile System's features and Physical Parameters.
Image Source.

Like any other air defense system configurations available such as Israel's SPYDER Ground-Based Air Defense System, the AKASH Air Defense Missile System setup comes with several batteries, each coming with its own quantity of Akash Missile Launchers and radar units, although it also comes with a Group headquarters that serves as a primary Command and Control Unit that oversees operation of each AKASH Air Defense Missile batteries deployed.

The Physical parameters provided on the screen grabbed part of the document above (accessible here), pertains to the AKASH Missile munition itself, wherein it has a diameter of 35 centimeters (converted) and a length of 582 centimeters (also converted). This means that the size of the AKASH Missile itself is larger than the Python Missile, with its 16 centimeter diameter and 310 centimeter length, while having a lighter weight coming at 105 kilograms compared to AKASH's 720 kilograms.

Likewise, the AKASH Missile munition itself, as compared to the "I-Derby Missile", still comes heavier as the latter comes with 118 kilograms, while keeping the same diameter size with the Python Missile at 16 centimeters and having a lengthy size at around 362 centimeters, although it is still smaller than the overall size that came with the AKASH Missile System munitions as its design has derived from Soviet-era technology compared to the modern technological design that goes with both Python and Derby Missiles (munitions that form the RAFAEL SPYDER Ground-Based Missile System).

As for the range, the AKASH Missile's integral Ram Rocket Propulsion has said to provide a thrusting range up to 25 kilometers, far less than the RAFAEL SPYDER MR (Medium Range) Ground-Based Air Defense System that has the approximate coverage of at least 40-60 kilometers. AKASH Air Defense Missile System's capabilities can be more comparable to the RAFAEL SPYDER SR (Short Range) variant that has the range of 20 kilometers, with the former having a slight advantage of only just 5 kilometers.

That being said, capability-wise, the RAFAEL SPYDER MR Ground-Based Air Defense System that the Philippine Air Force will get is far more capable than India's AKASH Air Defense Missile System that it offers to the Philippine Navy, wherein it will make more sense if the naval branch will just settle on the same air defense system made in Israel as this also comes with a practical approach in terms of logistics and interoperability.

WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN

Israel's RAFAEL SPYDER Ground-Based Air Defense System (GBADS), is just one of many offers made for the Philippine Navy's Shore-Based Air Defense System Acquisition Project. Image Source.

The deal that India offers for its AKASH Air Defense Missile System for the Philippine Navy falls under the said naval branch's Shore-Based Air Defense System Acquisition Project, which came with multiple offers from other suppliers that have taken part in the biddings, one of which includes the Israeli defense firm RAFAEL and its product the SPYDER Ground-Based Air Defense System or GBADS.

Speaking of SPYDER Ground-Based Air Defense System of Israel, it has successfully chosen by the Philippine Air Force for its Ground-Based Air Defense System Acquisition Project, giving RAFAEL access to the Philippine military and defense market, gaining a portion in the market in the process while providing their product that effectively improves the country's air defense system, giving a significant air cover in the national airspace.

The Shore-Based Air Defense System Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy comes with the same aim as the Ground-Based Air Defense Acquisition Project of the Philippine Air Force, with the difference being the end-user of each project and if the Akash Air Defense Missile System became the preferable option, the defense system of choice that each of the military branches uses for their air defense capabilities and getting an effective air cover for the portion of the country's airspace.

However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, like any other organization, are fond of having commonality between military assets, especially in employing systems in the field that benefit them regarding improvement of the logistics chain of spare parts and maintenance of each system, not to mention that the offer made by the Israeli firm RAFAEL counts as more modern, capable, and more sophisticated, than the India's AKASH Air Defense Missile System with its design derived from Cold War Soviet Tech.

It remains to be seen as to the outcome of this deal as India approved this deal for export and an offer for the Philippine Navy's Shore-Based Air Defense Acquisition Project, not to mention that India sees first successful export of its BrahMos Anti-ship missiles to the Philippine Navy, while it sees stiff competition with its competitors especially Israel's air defense system that is already being used by the people in the Philippine Air Force. 

(c) 2022 PDA.

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