Against the stunning view of the Laoag City’s blue sea and sand dunes, United States Marines fired their 155mm Howitzer cannon at an imaginary target.
It was one of the highlights of the May 6, 2024 Balikatan, a yearly joint U.S.- Philippine military exercise to enhance cooperation and readiness between the two militaries.
The choice of Laoag city sand dunes for this year’s Balikatan is significant because it is faces South China Sea, which has become highly contentious between China and the Philippines in the past weeks and months.
Laoag City is also about 400 kilometers to Taiwan, which is on constant alert against China, which considers the well-developed country still its province.
This year’s joint exercise known as BK39-2024 involves about 5,000 Philippine soldiers and some 11,000 US military personnel that would enhance both countries’ interoperability response to outside forces. Monday’s scenario involved live-fire exercise utilizing all their assets “across all domains as air, land, sea, space and cyber.
Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm, commander of the US First Marine Expeditionary Force, said the exercise was “to prepare for the worst” by “securing key maritime terrain”.
Photos and video by Bullit Marquez.
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