Philippines, US Hold Fourth Joint Patrol in South China Sea This Year

The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Indo-Pacific Command wrapped up a six-day bilateral maritime cooperative activity in the West Philippine Sea on June 19, the fourth such joint patrol this year.

Philippine assets included the BRP Diego Silang frigate, an AW-109 helicopter, FA-50 fighter jets, a C-208B aircraft, and Sokol helicopters. The Philippine Coast Guard sent the BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Sindangan. On the US side, the USCGC Charles Moulthrope, USCGC Emlen Tunnell, a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment took part.

The exercise covered search and rescue, visit-board-search-and-seizure drills, communication exercises, division tactics, officer-of-the-watch maneuvers, a photo exercise, and joint fires rehearsal, the AFP said in a statement Saturday.

The AFP described the activity as a demonstration of the two countries' commitment to maritime cooperation and a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific.

Separately, the Philippine Navy said its guided missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar participated in an air defense exercise on June 18 while en route to Hawaii for the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercises. The drill involved ships from Singapore, Italy, and Japan. Participating vessels fired at an unmanned aerial vehicle target launched from the Japanese destroyer JS Kongo, which simulated a low-flying hostile aircraft.

RIMPAC runs in Hawaiian waters from June 24 to July 31.