The United States and its key ally the Philippines are holding their largest war combat exercises in decades on April 11, with more than 17,600 military members from both countries set to participate in the annual bilateral event in and around the island nation.
The joint exercise, known as the “Balikatan,” will run up to April 28, according to a news release from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.
During the drills, approximately 5,400 members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and 12,200 U.S. military personnel will train “shoulder-to-shoulder, developing interoperability and improved capability in the areas of maritime security, amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban and aviation operations, cyber defense, counterterrorism, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness,” officials said….