The Philippine Army and the United States Army Pacific on Thursday concluded large-scale land, air, and sea operational maneuvers in various areas in Cagayan Valley.
This is part of Phase 2 of “Salaknib,” an annual bilateral exercise led by the Philippine Army and sponsored by the US Army Pacific that is designed to enhance their capacity and interoperability across military operations while strengthening the long-standing ties between the two allied nations.
According to Philippine Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala, the operational maneuver involved 1,200 Filipino and American troops who carried out land, air, and sea movements and critical exercises such as Special Operations Forces (SOF) missions, gap crossing, Ground Assault Convoy sustainment, and communication on the move.
More than 100 mobility assets from both ground forces traveled north from Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, to the Bagabag Airstrip in Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela State University Oval in Echague, Isabela, and Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela.
On the sea and air domains, two ground forces deployed armor assets from two points in Luzon to the Port Irene in Cagayan utilizing a US Navy Landing Craft Unit, while around 16 air assets transported troops and supplies.
The combined exercises between both countries’ ground troops support the Philippine Army’s strategic thrust to develop an agile force that is capable of swift deployment across diverse operational scenarios.
