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President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. witnesses  the Philippine Navy capability demonstration aboard  BRP Davao Del Sur (LD602) off the coast of Zambales on May, 19, 2023. The Philippine Navy (PN) has unlocked its first- ever anti-air warfare capability with deployment of bullfighter chalfs decoys with BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) Yummie Dingding, PPA pool

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Katrina Domingo

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) maneuvers off the coast of Zambales on May, 19, 2023.  Yummie Dingding, PPA pool/file" src="https://news-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com/api/upload-raw/20240425120440/91c9fd9705f49b87a769df2b7c46e106a48b782d211e80f6f83f2ed7f1bcd6be.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"/><figcaption>BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) maneuvers off the coast of Zambales on May, 19, 2023.  <em>Yummie Dingding, PPA pool/file</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The Philippine Navy’s largest ship and other vessels from the United States and France on Thursday sailed away from mainland Palawan to start their joint drills for this year’s Balikatan exercises.</p><p>It is France&#x27;s first time to join one of the largest military training activities in the region.</p><p>The Philippines’ BRP Davao del Sur and BRP Ramon Alcaraz started naval formation maneuvers with the USS Harper’s Ferry and FS Vendemiaire, an exercise part of the 10-day multilateral maritime exercises in this year’s Balikatan.</p><p>“Actually very significant itong ginagawa natin… This activity will actually build yung confidence ng ating bridge team dito together with the other participants,” Commander Marcos Sandalo, commanding officer of the BRP Davao del Sur, told reporters.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/22/balikatan-2024-military-exercises-begin-2210" id="isPasted">Balikatan 2024 military exercises begin</a></div><p>“With this exercise, &#x27;yung close maneuvers natin, definitely it will increase their capability to work together,” he said.</p><p>The French Navy’s maiden participation in this year’s multilateral maritime exercise is proof that the Philippines is “working with allies and friends natin within the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.</p><p>“Definitely sharing their tactics, techniques and procedures would increase our capability and capacity to work with them,” Sandalo said.</p><p>In the coming days, the four vessels will also engage in maritime search and rescue, gunnery exercises, and cross-deck landing exercises, wherein Philippine and French helicopters will dock in each of the ships to simulate medical evacuations and replenishment operations.</p><p>The 10-day voyage will pass through the Sulu Sea, and sail towards the West Philippines Sea, the first time that the Balikatan exercises will be held beyond the Philippines’ 12-nautical mile territorial waters, but still within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/20/-war-is-not-on-the-table-ph-gears-up-for-balikatan-exercises-1713" id="isPasted">‘War is not on the table’: PH gears up for Balikatan exercises </a></div><p>“It’s an indicator that we are really for &#x27;yung security of our waters within the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.</p><p>“It’s very significant to show that we have partners specifically in ensuring maritime security within the Indo-Pacific region,” he added.</p><p>The drills will continue even if Chinese ships pose radio challenges, Sandalo said when asked about what will happen should they encounter Beijing’s vessels that have been illegally entering the Philippines’ EEZ.</p><p>“As far as I’m concerned this exercise is between the Philippines and other allies and partners natin sa Indo-Pacific region,” Sandalo said.</p><p>“We will continue to conduct this exercise to increase our capacity and capability, especially with our modernizing Navy,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/20/balikatan-exercises-lalahukan-ng-16-000-tropang-pinoy-at-amerikano-1958" id="isPasted">Balikatan Exercises lalahukan ng 16,000 tropang Pinoy at Amerikano</a></div><p>By next week, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz and the FS Vendemiaire, along with several Philippine Coast Guard vessels, are expected to undertake a bilateral sailing mission to parts of the West Philippine Sea, while the BRP Davao del Sur and the USS Harper’s Ferry will proceed to hold amphibious raid exercises near Rizal town in Palawan.</p>

<p>The Philippine Navy’s largest ship and other vessels from the US and France on Thursday sailed away from mainland Palawan to start their joint drills for this year’s Balikatan exercises.</p>

The Philippine Navy’s largest ship and other vessels from the US and France on Thursday sailed away from mainland Palawan to start their joint drills for this year’s Balikatan exercises.

PH Navy’s largest ship, 3 other foreign vessels begin drills off Palawan

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PH Navy’s largest ship, 3 other foreign vessels begin drills off Palawan

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 25, 2024 07:42 PM PHT

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Balikatan 2024

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