Asian Military Review attended the 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan 2026 in the Philippines, drills that were conducted from 20 April till 8 May. Importantly, this was the largest and most expansive ever iteration of the long-running exercise.
The name Balikatan means “shoulder to shoulder” in Tagalog. This year’s event involved more than 17,000 troops from Australia, the Philippines and USA, as well as from first-time participants Canada, France, Japan and New Zealand.
As Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, stated at the conclusion of these war games: “Balikatan 2026 marked a strategic evolution from a bilateral exercise to a full-scale, multinational mission rehearsal for the defence of the Philippines. That growth reflects the security environment. It reflects the sovereign choices of free nations.”
The following photo gallery shows some of the activities and equipment showcased in Exercise Balikatan 2026. All photos were taken by the author Gordon Arthur.
Philippine marines await in shoreline dugouts for an “enemy” invasion to arrive at their beach on the western Philippine island of Palawan. This counter-landing live-fire exercise took place on 27 April.
These riverine patrol boats, manufactured by Silver Ships, are used by the Philippine Marine Corps. The PMC has an important role of defending Palawan and also preventing Chinese encroachment against various islands within the Philippine exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
Personnel from four countries – from left to right, Australia, the USA, Philippines and New Zealand – stand “shoulder to shoulder” (for that is what Balikatan means) on a Palawan beach after successfully repelling an enemy invasion.
A fixed-wing target drone takes on a counter-drone system belonging to the US Marine Corps (USMC). Mounted on a JLTV 4×4 chassis, this Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) belongs to the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment.
Another view of the USMC’s MADIS counter-drone system. Kinetic weapons sported by MADIS Mk 1 and Mk 2 vehicles include a 7.62mm machine gun, 30mm cannon and Stinger air defence missiles. There are also soft-kill countermeasures such as radio frequency jammers.
The US Army’s 3rd Mobile Brigade from the 25th Infantry Division deployed to the Philippines from Hawaii. Here they train with counterparts from the Philippine Army at Fort Magsaysay in central Luzon.
Unmanned aerial vehicles play an important part in the 25th Infantry Division’s order of battle. This quadcopter is used for surveillance and reconnaissance, but the division also has others that act as one-way kamikaze drones.
The US Army is now fielding the M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle, or ISV for short, which can carry nine personnel. The 25th Infantry Division brought a number of these vehicles to the Philippines for Balikatan 2026.
Transport aircraft such as this C-130J Hercules of the USAF moved critical equipment such as HIMARS rocket launchers and NMESIS anti-ship missile launchers onto islands in the Luzon Strait. This was part of maritime key terrain security operations.
This NMESIS – standing for Navy/Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System – belongs to the USMC. Carrying two Naval Strike Missiles, this unmanned vehicle was inserted into Basco in the Batanes Islands in the Luzon Strait to conduct simulated maritime strike missions.
Amidst an “enemy bombardment”, US Army soldiers man a bunker on a beach near Laoag, which is a city in northwest Luzon. This was part of a counter-landing live-fire exercise conducted there on 4 May.
An “enemy invader”, basically a target on a robotic chassis, is peppered by small arms as he attempts to move off the beach near Laoag. Numerous ground and surface unmanned systems were used as targets during live-fire drills during this Philippine exercise.
HIMARS rocket launchers (this one is from the US Army) would play a vital role in any conflict with China. Rapidly inserted onto far-flung islands, they could hold Chinese naval vessels at risk, or at least they will once the anti-ship version of the Precision Strike Missile is fielded.
Here is an unusual Philippine Army variation on the ubiquitous M113. This M113 was upgraded with the addition of a turret and 76mm L23A1 gun salvaged from decommissioned FV101 Scorpion CVR(T) tracked vehicles.
by Gordon Arthur
