One of the many highlights of my trip over the last week to the Philippines was having the opportunity to sit down with Flag Officer-in-Command of the 🇵🇭 Navy, VADM Adaci. Our talk touched on the Navy’s modernization efforts, foreign cooperation, and more.
Why are y’all crying about rust when a detachment of Filipino Marines have been keeping the Chinese at bay in this beached, rusting hulk of a Second World War-era LST since ‘99
“The Spokesperson’s statements were ‘on brand.’ We, and the world, should not expect more”
-🇵🇭 Secretary of National Defense Teodoro on 🇨🇳 MFA comments in response Marcos’ congratulatory message to 🇹🇼 Lai.
📸 DND
The activation of the 11th Marine Regiment's Long Range Missile Battery A brings us our first look at what the Marines will be mounting their Tomahawks on. While they will have far fewer cruise missiles compared to the Army's MRC, the launchers will be as mobile as NMESIS.
Swarm of 🇨🇳 vessels harassing a 🇵🇭 resupply mission to a WW2-era LST on a shoal 1000km away from Hainan.
🇵🇭 Journalists documenting the entire ordeal: Unbothered. Moisturized. Happy. In My Lane. Focused. Flourishing.
It is clear who is winning the PR battle.
The first of the four 🇯🇵 air defense radars 🇵🇭 purchased has been set up at Wallace Air Station in Western Luzon facing the SCS. Full & extended coverage of Luzon will be achieved with the other two fixed FPS-3ME radars at Santa Ana and Parañal Air Station. Map by
@ThrustWR
.
The first 🇦🇺🇯🇵🇵🇭🇺🇸 SCS patrol was the largest held to date in both number of assets and participants. According to the 🇵🇭 military, there was no attempt to impede the joint patrol.
📸 Armed Forces of the Philippines
This marks the 4th 🇺🇸, 2nd 🇦🇺, and 1st 🇯🇵 maritime cooperative activity with 🇵🇭 in the SCS. Destroyer JS Akebono and frigate HMAS Warramunga are currently in the region.
📸 DND
🇵🇭 Sen. Risa Hontiveros calls for a review of the One China Policy amid Beijing’s response to Marcos’ congratulatory message to Lai:
“🇨🇳 has done far worse things in our territories compared to a congratulatory message to 🇹🇼”
In 🇮🇳 BrahMos We Trust: The prayer for 🇵🇭 Marine Missileers of the Shore Based Anti-Ship Missile Battalion, Coastal Defense Regiment. Set to receive 3 batteries, this unit will soon become the first BrahMos operators outside of 🇮🇳. 1/3
Royal Australian Air Force F-35As cover 🇵🇭🇦🇺🇺🇸 troops during Exercise Alon 2023's Combined Amphibious Assault Exercise at Zambales. These Lightning IIs were also present at the airfield retaking drill in Palawan earlier this week.
📸 Commonwealth of Australia
🇵🇭 President Marcos Jr. and 🇯🇵 PM Kishida are slated to discuss the proposed Reciprocal Access Agreement (allows for easier access for 🇵🇭 & 🇯🇵 troops to train in each country) and defense transfers via Tokyo’s new Official Security Assistance program.
The 1st of 4 🇯🇵 radars procured by the 🇵🇭 Air Force has been set up at Wallace AS. The other 2 fixed FPS-3/MEs will be placed at Santa Ana in Cagayan & Elum AS in Zamboanga, while the sole TPS-14ME mobile radar will be at Parañal AS in Camarines Norte.
Graphic by
@ThrustWR
🇯🇵 sends a strong message following Manila’s decision to drop 🇨🇳 as a funding source for the Mindanao Railway Project. In 🇵🇭, while Beijing “pledges” more, on the ground it has been more often than not 🇯🇵 Official Development Assistance.
In this map from
@ThrustWR
, we explore what long-range fires the 🇺🇸 Marine Littoral Regiment and Multi-Domain Task Force can bring to bear from 🇵🇭 soil via four EDCA sites across the Philippine archipelago.
Soon, 🇮🇳 won’t be the sole operator of BrahMos. Its first customer, the Philippine Marine Corps, should be receiving the first of three batteries this year. The 🇮🇳 missiles bring a lot to the table for the 🇵🇭, as seen with the potential basing locations below.
We got a good look at BRP Jose Rizal’s (flagship of the 🇵🇭 Navy) Combat Information Center during Pagbubuklod 2023. Small 🧵 on some observations:
Gaming PC in the background(?)
1/3
Exercise Pagbubuklod 2023’s live fire exercise. Both Jose Rizal-class Frigates and a Boat Attack Division partook in the drills off Zambales on Friday.
📸 Philippine Fleet & BRP Mamanwa
“While the Chinese boat's refusal to accept aid from Philippine forces was expected, what surprised troops was Beijing’s radio call that blamed Filipinos for the incident, he said.”
🇰🇷 Slam Eagles and 🇫🇷 Rafales over Busan. The ROKAF and AEE kicked off their first bilateral exercise yesterday under Pégase 2023, a French aerial projection mission across the Indo-Pacific.
📸 Republic of Korea Air Force
🇵🇭 is one step closer towards fielding 🇮🇳 BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles. 21 Philippine Marines completed training in the operation and maintenance of the 🇮🇳 missile last week. The first battery is to be delivered to the 🇵🇭’s Coastal Defense Regiment this year. (📸 PMC)
BrahMos is also aiming to land a follow-on order of around $300 million with the Philippines, where its missiles are scheduled to be delivered to the Philippine Marine Corps starting at the end of 2023, Rane said.
PACAF is at Clark Air Base, with them the first ever appearance of the F-22 Raptor in 🇵🇭. This follows exercise Agile Reaper 2023, which had F-22s practice Agile Combat Employment concepts around the Pacific between March 1-10. (📸 Adrian Ballesteros)
Updated map on existing and future 🇵🇭 radar coverage by
@ThrustWR
. Highlights include placing a radar on Pag-asa in the West Philippine Sea as well as the stationing of a 🇯🇵 radar to fully cover the Luzon Strait. Thanks to
@GrangerE04117
for the find.
Last March 20, BGen. Ronie Petinglay, commander of the 580th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing. Presented to the Provincial Council of Antique during the 9th Regular Session the proposal for the establishment of an Air Force Radar Station in Mt. Liwliw, Anini-y, Antique.
🇰🇷 HHI has laid the keel of the first of eight ships, two corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels, ordered by the 🇵🇭 Navy. In five years, these ships will be in 🇵🇭 service, almost doubling the Offshore Combat Force’s existing fleet.
With the news that the 🇺🇸 Army’s Typhon will be deployed to the Indo-Pacific next year, it’s a good time to repost this map from
@ThrustWR
. Here are the long-range fires that the Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force and Marine Corps Marine Littoral Regiment can deliver from 🇵🇭 soil.
Japan Air Self-Defense Force/Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft in 🇵🇭 with their Philippine Air Force/Philippine Navy counterparts. 🇯🇵 aerial cooperation with 🇵🇭 has been growing steadily over the past decade.
Landing on Luzon: 🇵🇭🇦🇺🇺🇸 Troops held a Combined Amphibious Assault Exercise at Zambales today during Exercise Alon 2023. If I recall correctly, this is the first major bilateral amphibious drill on 🇵🇭 soil that isn't commanded by 🇺🇸 forces.
📸 Commonwealth of Australia
The first of the Philippine Air Force’s three 🇯🇵 J/FPS-3ME radars appears to be under assembly in 🇵🇭. Mitsubishi Electric personnel and what seems to be the lower section of a J/FPS-3ME were seen in a recent visit by the PAF Commander to Wallace Air Station.
The U.S. Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) Battery, part of the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), made history by participating in Exercise Resolute Hunter 24-2, a joint/combined exercise on the base from June 25-27, 2024.
(U.S. Army photos by Capt. Ryan DeBooy)
Structures similar to those found within Indian Armed Forces BrahMos bases have appeared at a Philippine Navy installation in Luzon facing the SCS. This is likely the first site where Manila will station its new Indian missiles. My latest with Naval News:
[Exclusive] The Philippines' first
#BrahMos
missile base is being constructed in Western Luzon, orienting the missiles into the disputed South China Sea 🇵🇭
Story by
@Aaron_MatthewIL
A Pentagon spox. confirmed to us that a Philippine sailor was severely injured by Chinese actions during Manila’s Monday resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. My latest with USNI News:
U.S. Marine Corps MQ-9A Reaper drones are now operating in the first island chain from a Philippine Air Force base to support 🇺🇸🇵🇭 military intelligence efforts. My latest with USNI News:
Yet another 🇯🇵 initiative that will greatly boost 🇵🇭 capabilities. With this grant of UH-1Js, the Philippine Army will finally possess its own organic helicopter aviation component.
One of the more interesting concepts I’ve covered to date: A Gibbs & Cox concept looks to covert surplus oil rigs into mobile missile and resupply platforms to address the 🇺🇸 Navy’s capacity issues in the Western Pacific. My latest with Naval News:
Over 400 containers, vehicles and other pieces of equipment belonging to the 🇺🇸 Marine Corps and Army were embarked last week in Hawaii for this year’s 🇵🇭🇺🇸🇫🇷 Balikatan 2024. Manila’s largest combined military exercise is slated to begin next month amid SCS tensions.
In
@ThrustWR
’s latest 🇵🇭 graphic, we depict the operational areas of the Philippine Marine Corps new strategy: Archipelagic Coastal Defense. Going forward, the force seeks to support the Navy in denying “Key Coastal Terrain” through the deployment of mobile forces and missiles.
BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS-15) steamed in formation with USS Dewey (DDG 105) last week on October 21st. This bilateral sail took place in the vicinity of and during the latest RORE mission to BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, where 🇨🇳 ships collided with 🇵🇭 vessels. 1/3
A few examples of the “professional, restrained, reasonable and legal” operations of the China Coast Guard over the last year within 🇵🇭’s EEZ.
📸 Philippine Coast Guard
China has defended the actions of its Coast Guard against Philippine vessels in the contested South China Sea, saying that they were "professional" and "restrained.”
Full story:
🇺🇸 Air Force Capt. Connor Brazinski, an F-16C Fighting Falcon pilot assigned to the 13th Fighter Squadron, sported an interesting patch made for Balikatan 2024.
USMC 📸 by Cpl. Kyle Chan
🇺🇸 Air Force F-16s armed with GBU-38 JDAMs from the 13th Fighter Squadron operating out of Basa Air Base were among the many air and naval platforms that participated in Balikatan’s 🇵🇭🇺🇸🇦🇺 Maritime Strike exercise in the South China Sea.
USMC 📸 Cpl. Kyle Chan
“Canada will give the Philippines free access to state-of-the-art satellites that will allow maritime enforcers to surveil, almost in real time, vessels within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.”
🇨🇦 is really punching above its weight here.
The first Indo-Pacific deployment of the 🇺🇸 Army’s Typhon is in 🇵🇭 Northern Luzon under Exercise Salaknib 2024. Operated by the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, the ground-based missile launcher is capable of long-range fires via its Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6.
📸 USARPAC
🇰🇷 HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and 🇺🇸 Cerberus will collaborate on Agila Subic Shipyard to bolster 🇵🇭 shipbuilding capacity.
“We will have a fresh start & a strong foundation in realizing our vision to be amongst the largest & most consequential shipbuilders in the world”-Marcos
2022 was a major year for the Philippines defense wise. From some of the most complex exercises the country has ever seen, to the delivery of new assets, and enhanced security cooperation with partners and allies, here are some of the key highlights from 🇵🇭 this year.
🧵 1/25
Some good news in the West Philippine Sea at the beginning of 2024. On New Year’s Eve, Filipino fisherman Mr. Rosalon Cayon was rescued by a 🇨🇳 fishing vessel after being adrift at sea for the previous eight days. The Chinese fishermen brought him to the 🇵🇭 outpost at Rizal Reef.
French Ambassador to the Philippines
@MBoccoz
announces at Stratbase ADR Institute that preparations are being made for the Charles de Gaulle Carrier Strike Group to visit 🇵🇭 during its Indo-Pacific Deployment in 2025.
Note that Philippine Air Force radars (current & future sites) have a good picture of these flights. Currently, a 🇮🇱 ELM-2288ER covers Northern Luzon. It will soon be supplemented by a 🇯🇵 FPS-3ME, giving 🇵🇭 an even more enhanced picture of aerial activities in the Luzon Strait.
🇵🇭 Army Sabrah light tanks at the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ 88th anniversary. 18 tanks, one command variant & one armored recovery vehicle variant were ordered from 🇮🇱 Elbit Systems in 2021 under the second phase of Manila’s military modernization program.
📸 PTV
While these 🇨🇳 harassments are monthly at this point, the ratio of ships in this supply run is crazy. In response to 3 🇵🇭 Coast Guard patrol ships and 2 civilian supply boats, 🇨🇳 sent:
-28 Maritime Militia
-5 China Coast Guard
-5 People’s Liberation Army Navy
5 vs 38
Al Jazeera on a Philippine coast guard vessel in the
#SouthChinaSea
on Nov. 10 just one nautical mile from the Second Thomas Shoal, where Manila has grounded an old warship to stake its claim. Supply ships able to get through but all around us were Chinese ships - 28 militia, 5
Some retired Navalist: 7th Fleet’s cruisers and destroyers are rusty, we are doomed against the Chinese with their shiny ships.
Philippine Marines on BRP Sierra Madre: Yes sir we will hold Ayungin Shoal to the last piece of corroded scrap
Last minute meetings in Manila today reveal that 6x warships and 2x helicopters will be participating in the first 🇦🇺🇵🇭🇺🇸🇯🇵 SCS joint patrol.
📸 Armed Forces of the Philippines
This marks the 4th 🇺🇸, 2nd 🇦🇺, and 1st 🇯🇵 maritime cooperative activity with 🇵🇭 in the SCS. Destroyer JS Akebono and frigate HMAS Warramunga are currently in the region.
📸 DND
🇵🇭 & 🇺🇸 Eagles: PAF FA-50 Fighting Eagles and PACAF F-15 Eagles flew together on Nov. 21st during the 🇵🇭🇺🇸 Maritime Cooperative Activity, which will see joint maritime and aerial patrols in the SCS until Thursday.
📸 PAF
🇵🇭🇺🇸🇦🇺 Balikatan 2024 made history today through the first-ever launch of an anti-ship cruise missile by the 🇵🇭 Navy during a Maritime Strike activity in the South China Sea. BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) fired one SSM-700K C-Star and successfully struck the target.
📸 DVIDS B-Roll
Four F-35Bs of VMFA-214 “Black Sheep” came to the Philippines for a maritime strike exercise off Western Luzon during Marine Aviation Support Activity 2024. The drill focused on enhancing 🇵🇭🇺🇸 command and control capabilities in a territorial defense scenario.
"We're no longer using the PCG CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) hotline… It no longer exists… It hasn't provided so much benefits for us. We didn't gain anything from this" said PCG West Philippine Sea spokesperson
@jaytaryela
.
Few countries do maritime security capacity building like 🇯🇵. To finance around half a billion USD on five patrol ships to 🇵🇭 highlights Tokyo’s priorities in the region. And this is on top of previously security transfers and defense sales to Manila.
📸 PCG
When most think of 🇵🇭 presence in the West Philippine Sea, it’s either BRP Sierra Madre’s post at Ayungin Shoal or Pag-asa Island. But we should also remember the countless other stations throughout the WPS such as:
-LMS Mantiloc
-Rizal Reef
-Patag Island
-Parola Island
Philippine Star may have gotten our first look at the next generation of Propmech Vessels’ Multipurpose Attack Craft. Looks like the assault ramp for fast troop insertion is returning on this new variant. 🇵🇭 Navy leadership previously voiced their desire for a force of 42 MPACs.
Canada just held its first joint patrol with the Philippines in the South China Sea via a multilateral maritime cooperative activity featuring Japan and the U.S.
Welcome the multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity among 🇯🇵🇵🇭🇺🇸🇨🇦, the second time Japan has participated. JS KIRISAME's participation attests to Japan’s commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation to realize a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” (FOIP). 🚢
First appearance of the Sabrah light tank in 🇵🇭. The Philippine Army has ordered 18 of the vehicles, of which are based on the ASCOD 2 platform. (Credits to: )
It should be noted that the Philippine Navy does not have anything close to the facilities Naval Group is offering to develop. The development of Naval Operating Base Subic would be as game changing for the PN as the procurement of submarines. 📸 Naval Group Rendering
French defense manufacturer Naval Group expressed willingness to help the Philippine Navy develop Subic Bay into a modern naval base capable of handling submarine ops once it bags the contract for the sophisticated warship capable of underwater operations.
How many rounds of David vs Goliath have we seen this year in the West Philippine Sea? Images of 🇵🇭 patrol boats (procured from 🇯🇵) facing off against intruding🇨🇳 cutters has to be one of the defining features of the fight to uphold a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.📸 PCG
First article detailing 🇪🇸 Navantia submarine pitch to 🇵🇭 Navy:
-$1.7 Billion offer covering 2 S-80 Plus Submarines, training, and facilities.
-Submarine Base location to be at Ormoc, Leyte in the Central Philippines.
-Financing via 🇪🇸 loan.
1/3
“That's an illegal blockade, and what is needed is a strategy to lift, break or circumvent it.”
🇨🇳 probably won’t lift it, and breaking through it on the water risks an incident. However, circumventing via air is another story. 🧵 1/13
1/The ticking time bomb. In my latest post at , I reflect on the past week of outrage here in the 🇵🇭
#Philippines
and put it into the crucial context we're not talking about nearly enough. [🧵1/5]
🇨🇳
#China
#SouthChinaSea
@StanfordGKC
The Philippine Navy will be sending BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), one of its two Jose Rizal-class frigates, to Australia for multinational naval exercise Kakadu 2024.
While 🇨🇳 makes a fuss about 🇺🇸 missile systems coming to 🇵🇭 for military exercises, it should be remembered that China has deployed missiles (YJ-62, YJ-12B) to their SCS outposts. Palawan, and its two EDCA sites, have been within range of these systems since 2018. 📸AMTI
Subic Bay Pit Stop: Marines and Airmen service A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from a forward arming and refueling point at Subic Bay International Airport during
#MASA23
.
U.S. Marine Corps 📸 by Sgt. Joshua Brittenham
Exercise Pagbubuklod 2023’s live fire exercise. Both Jose Rizal-class Frigates and a Boat Attack Division partook in the drills off Zambales on Friday.
📸 Philippine Fleet & BRP Mamanwa
15 new armored vehicles, including nine Sabrah light tanks, one Sabrah command variant & five Guarani APCs, were blessed in a ceremony unveiling the 🇵🇭 Armor “Pambato” Division new maintenance facility in Tarlac yesterday. These light tanks mark a return to armor for the 🇵🇭 Army.
This section from the article struck me in particular because 🇵🇭 has experienced what an aggressor could do from 🇹🇼. 83 years ago, Imperial Japanese forces set off for Luzon from ports & airfields on Formosa (Taiwan), beginning a brutal 3 year period of destruction & occupation.
The fall of 🇹🇼 would be even worse for 🇵🇭 and other Southeast Asian countries. Beijing would have the power to complicate 🇺🇸 access to East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean—the littoral of the most populous, economically active part of the world.
🇺🇸🇦🇺 Special Forces dive in the Batanes. Green Berets with 1st SFG and Commandos from 2nd Commando Regiment conduct a paradrop training exercise on Batan Island, one of the northernmost Philippine Islands in the Luzon Strait. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lee Gaozong)
The Philippine Air Force is looking to establish a forward operating base for its patrol aircraft and drones at former 🇺🇸 Naval Air Station Cubi Point in Subic Bay. Documents indicate that this is part of the 🇵🇭 military’s strategic basing plan. My latest with Naval News:
Former U.S. Naval Air Station at Subic Bay is set to host the Philippines' recently procured fleet of drones and maritime patrol aircraft 🇵🇭
Story by
@Aaron_MatthewIL
This marks the 4th 🇺🇸, 2nd 🇦🇺, and 1st 🇯🇵 maritime cooperative activity with 🇵🇭 in the SCS. Destroyer JS Akebono and frigate HMAS Warramunga are currently in the region.
📸 DND
The Marine Corps new Amphibious Combat Vehicle makes its debut in the Indo-Pacific during 🇵🇭🇺🇸 Balikatan 2024. Embarked on the amphib USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), the ACVs conducted a live-fire exercise at Oyster Bay, Palawan.
USMC 📸 by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle
57 🇰🇷 Marines arrived at Clark Air Base yesterday to attend KAMANDAG 7. The contingent will be training alongside their 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇯🇵 counterparts across the Philippine Archipelago from November 7-18.
📸 Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines
Down from the five sites considered, but still really big for the 🇵🇭🇺🇸 alliance. Keep an eye out on Naval Operating Base Subic, also known as Agila Subic Shipyard. Access to the facilities here would offer tremendous support for the maintenance and sustainment for 🇺🇸 vessels.
PH, US agree to add four new EDCA locations “in strategic areas of the country”
“Expansion of the EDCA will make our alliance stronger and more resilient, and will accelerate modernization of our combined military capabilities.”
In his birthday message to the 🇵🇭 Marine Corps, Major General Shingo Nashinoki of the 🇯🇵 Ground Self-Defense Force’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade announced that he will soon depart for 🇵🇭 to participate in KAMANDAG 7. The 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇯🇵🇰🇷 amphibious drills will start on Thursday.
“Mavulis, an uninhabited island with a 🇵🇭 Navy outpost located only 88 miles away from Taiwan, saw the deployment of 🇺🇸 Marines with maritime domain awareness sensors during the drills.”
3d Marine Littoral Regiment confirmed that it was their first-ever deployment to Mavulis.
“🇺🇸 and 🇵🇭 forces tested their ability to secure a strategic island group only 125 miles away from 🇹🇼 during Balikatan 2024.”
My latest with USNI News:
🇦🇺 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Manila in September, marking the first visit of an Australian leader to 🇵🇭 in two decades. In Manila, the Prime Minister will talk with 🇵🇭 President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on strengthening defense cooperation.
With Philippine Marine Corps Marine Battalion Landing Teams shifting on and off Palawan, now is a good time to look into these 🇵🇭 Marine units. 🧵on MBLT, MARU, and CDR. 1/16
📸 PMC
Updated EDCA map by
@ThrustWR
. We found that when compared to the official graphic, the actual locations of the new sites tells a different story. Three of the four sites are concentrated in Northeastern Luzon, with two on the Luzon Strait facing Taiwan.
Malacañang announces additional sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement
-Naval Base Camilo Osias in Sta Ana, Cagayan
-Lal-lo Airport in Lal-lo, Cagayan
-Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela
-Balabac Island in Palawan
🇵🇭& 🇦🇺 pilots at Antonio Bautista Air Base following a successful joint air patrol in the West Philippine Sea today. The 🇵🇭🇦🇺 patrol included aircraft from the PAF, PN, and RAAF. 🇨🇳 fighter jets reportedly shadowed the patrol, which took place within the 🇵🇭 EEZ.
📸 AFP
My latest with USNI News on the apron expansion at 🇵🇭 Basa Air Base under the 🇺🇸’s Pacific Deterrence Initiative. Unlike other EDCA projects, the funding for this comes directly from the Pentagon’s plan to counter 🇨🇳 in the region.
A source has told Palawan News that Chinese forces intercepted Philippine RHIBs, boarded, and took their firearms. The injured individual is supposedly a Naval Special Operations Group member.
More details from the resupply mission in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal: Chinese forces boarded one of 🇵🇭 rigid hull inflatable boats and confiscated firearms. A 🇵🇭 soldier’s finger got cut off during the confrontation.
After less than a year of work, 🇵🇭 Basa Air Force Base’s $24 million runway rehabilitation project is done. Funded by 🇺🇸 under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, the 🇵🇭 Air Force base and EDCA site will now be able to accommodate “larger and heavier” aircraft.
📸 PAF
🇵🇭 Department of National Defense has acknowledged 🇰🇷 diplomatic support after the recent incident. The Korean Embassy released their first-ever statement on a 🇵🇭🇨🇳 incident in August, marking a major step in Seoul’s Indo-Pacific stance. We can see now that it was not a one-off.
We wish to acknowledge the statements issued by the Governments of France, South Korea, and Japan supporting the Philippines in the latest incident wherein Chinese vessels, operating illegally, aggressively, and provocatively, hit Philippine ships in the West Philippine Sea.
After being confirmed as the 30th Commandant of the 🇵🇭 Coast Guard, Vice Admiral Ronnie Gavan stated that the agency will soon procure/receive five more 97-meter long Teresa Magbanua-class Multi-Role Response Vessels from 🇯🇵.
The 🇵🇭 Army is looking into how to organize their next big procurement of 🇮🇳 supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles via the creation of a dedicated BrahMos Regiment.
Small 🧵on some context and thoughts: 1/9
This is arguably the most important development when it comes to 🇵🇭 defense in 2023: a shift from Territorial Defense Operations to “Forward Defense.” Going forward, assets that are procured in Horizon 3 are for a fight beyond 🇵🇭 territory & into the SCS.
Once again, a 🇯🇵 delegation visits the 🇵🇭 Coast Guard after an incident with 🇨🇳. This time the delegation was led by Representative Natsuo Yamaguchi, who expressed his support for further 🇯🇵 assistance in ships and training to 🇵🇭. 🧵 1/4
📸 PCG
🇯🇵 officials, including the Coast Guard Attaché, visit BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702). Note that 🇯🇵 is one of the key providers of patrol vessels to 🇵🇭, of which are particularly busy at the moment in the West Philippine Sea. Pay close attention to the third photo. (📸 PCG)
It’s almost like 🇨🇳 is forcing 🇵🇭 into doing a joint WPS patrol with partners such as 🇺🇸🇯🇵🇦🇺. But alas, Beijing insists that Manila has no agency, and is merely an American puppet via EDCA sites.
China Coast Guard blocked and used water cannon Philippine vessels on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on Saturday (Aug. 5). The PH military and coast guard issued brief statements condemning the incident
One of Zach’s first maps was for a small article we did on Philippine BrahMos procurement and what it meant for the country’s defense. Since then, Zach has been both instrumental and supportive in visualizing security & defense developments across 🇵🇭. Go check him out.
Seems like U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Admiral Koehler visited the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command in Palawan last week. This 🇵🇭 unified command overseas the majority of encounters with 🇨🇳 in the SCS. Also note that Koehler took a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.
Admiral Stephen Koehler visits Manila for the first time since he took command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Koehler and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner discussed 🇵🇭🇺🇸 defense cooperation and joint/multilateral activities in the South China Sea.
📸 AFP
“There’s a scenario where the island gets occupied by a fictitious country and the training troops will take it back”
🇵🇭🇺🇸 troops are training to retake islands in the Batanes during Balikatan 2023 from a “fictitious country.” It’s obvious which country is being simulated.
Filipino and American troops will train to defend an island province facing Taiwan from potential aggressors as part of the biggest-ever “Balikatan” military exercise. |
@FMangosingINQ
@VillVisayaJrINQ
/PDI