Lal-lo, Cagayan, Philippines. (April 11, 2025): American and Filipino forces staged a “full-scale battle scenario” this week as part of Exercise Balikatan 25, an annual military exercise. In this photo by Lance Corporal Roger-Junior Annoh, Philippine Air Force A2C Melvin Mendoza, an engineer with the 357th Air Engineering Squadron, laughs alongside U.S. Marine Corps combat engineers assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, at a local construction site. While these engineers labored on civic relations projects, thousands of American and Filipino forces conducted combat drills that included repelling a simulated attack against the island.
Based at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Marine Wing Support Squadron 174 is an aviation ground support unit that is part of the 9,000 U.S. military participating in the exercises which run through May 9th. Over 5,000 Filipino troops will join the Americans in conducting mock counter assaults against an enemy attack on the island including using a barrage of artillery and missiles to sink an enemy ship. The U.S. will deploy its new anti-ship missile system, called the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, as well as a series of unmanned sea vessels. Throughout the exercises, U.S. and Philippine forces will conduct joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea to assert international law and freedom of navigation.
This year, Australia plans to deploy about 260 participants and Japan intends to send military observers. Additionally, sixteen nations are scheduled to take part in the AFP-hosted international observer program, including Brunei, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
The United States has repeatedly reminded potential adversaries of its obligation to defend the Philippines. As the oldest treaty ally in Asia, the Filipino people can expect a vigorous U.S. response to any attack on their country.