Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) leads French Navy La Fayette-class frigate FS La Fayette (F 710) and Indian navy Shivalik-class stealth frigate Sahyadri (F49) during joint training exercise La Pérouse 2023 in the Bay of Bengal, March 13. US Navy handout photo

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1713253119305230313-N-HG846-1099.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) leads French Navy La Fayette-class frigate FS La Fayette (F 710) and Indian navy Shivalik-class stealth frigate Sahyadri (F49) during joint training exercise La Pérouse 2023 in the Bay of Bengal, March 13. US Navy handout photo"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) leads French Navy La Fayette-class frigate FS La Fayette (F 710) and Indian navy Shivalik-class stealth frigate Sahyadri (F49) during joint training exercise La Pérouse 2023 in the Bay of Bengal, March 13. <em>US Navy handout photo</em></span></span></span></div><div id="isPasted" style="box-sizing:border-box"><div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted">MANILA — The naval forces of the Philippines, the United States, and France will sail together in the West Philippine Sea next month, one of the highlights of the Balikatan Exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Armed Forces.</span></div><div><span dir="ltr">Col. Michael Logico, <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Balikatan 2024 executive agent, </span>said the three navies will hold the multilateral maritime exercise (MME) more than 12 nautical miles off the shorelines of Palawan. <br/>  <br/>&quot;We will be originating from Palawan and we will be doing it within the bounds of our EEZ,” Logico told reporters during a regular press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday. <br/>  <br/>Logico said the Philippine Coast Guard and the US Coast Guard will also participate in the activity. <br/>  <br/>For the Philippine side, two vessels from the Philippine Navy and one from the PCG will be used for the sea drills. <br/>  <br/>The total number of participating ships from the US Navy, USCG, and French Navy has yet to be determined. <br/>  <br/>Among the drills that will be conducted during the joint sails include division tactics, gunnery exercises, search and rescue exercises, and exercises at sea, according to Logico. <br/>  <br/>The official also said this year’s Balikatan is expected to be the biggest ever. <br/>  <br/>&quot;This year, the projection is 16,770. When we start the execution, doon lang natin malalaman how many ang actual strength,&quot; Logico noted. &quot;What’s not included there in the 16,000 is the Australian Defense Force and the French Navy.&quot; <br/>  <br/> &quot;Also not included in the 16,000 are government agencies like PCG, PNP, DICT, OCD and PCOO,&quot; he added. <br/>  <br/>Logico explained that the Balikatan Exercise has expanded to include the participation of government agencies &quot;who have a stake [in] national security.&quot; <br/>  <br/>&quot;We have expanded the Balikatan into a little bit of inter-agency participation as well,&quot; he said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c5rhmpI9oyw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span dir="ltr">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(60, 151, 255)" target="_blank">iWantTFC.com</a>. Watch hundreds of Pinoy shows, movies, live sports and news.<br/><br/><strong>JAPAN MAY JOIN BALIKATAN 2025<br/></strong><br/>Around 14 countries will participate in the Balikatan 2024 as observers. Among them is Japan.<br/><br/>The Philippines and the US are considering the expansion of the annual bilateral exercise to include Japan following the historic trilateral meeting of the leaders of the three countries in Washington last week.<br/><br/>Logico said having the Japan Self-Defense Forces participate in the Balikatan would be “a good move.”<br/><br/>&quot;Any participation in whatever shape or form is a welcome development,&quot; he noted.<br/><br/>He went on, &quot;For the history of Balikatan, it’s been primarily a bilateral exercise. In recent exercises, we’ve seen limited participation of the Australian Defense Force and in 2017, in HADR scenarios, we saw the participation of the Japan Self-Defense Forces… Now that the invitation has been sent and there is an indication of willingness on their part, that is a good move.&quot;<br/><br/>&quot;We invited Japan as early as last year during the mid and final planning conference. However, it was already too late at that point that they just sent observers for this year. But with the concept development for Balikatan 2025, we are already inviting them,&quot; the official further said.<br/><br/>Logico said other countries have also expressed interest in joining the Balikatan Exercise but did not disclose what these are.</span></div><div><br/></div><div><span dir="ltr"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/15/marcos-jr-says-inclusion-of-japan-in-balikatan-exercises-a-good-move-605" id="isPasted">Marcos Jr says inclusion of Japan in Balikatan exercises a good move</a><br/></span></div></div>

<p>The naval forces of the Philippines, the United States, and France will sail together in the West Philippine Sea next month, one of the highlights of the Balikatan Exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Armed Forces.</p>

The naval forces of the Philippines, the United States, and France will sail together in the West Philippine Sea next month, one of the highlights of the Balikatan Exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Armed Forces.

PH, US, French navies to conduct maritime exercise in WPS for Balikatan | ABS-CBN

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PH, US, French navies to conduct maritime exercise in WPS for Balikatan

PH, US, French navies to conduct maritime exercise in WPS for Balikatan

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 16, 2024 03:48 PM PHT

|

Updated Jun 10, 2024 03:49 PM PHT

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Philippines

United States

France

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multilateral maritime exercise

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West Philippine Sea

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