by Rene Acosta
THE High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars) that Filipino and American troops will use for interoperability training in the ongoing bilateral war games would likely be left by the United States in the country in order to boost the deterrent capability of the Armed Forces against China in the West Philippine Sea.
The deployment of the Himars, which will be used for the first time in the 31 years of the RP-US Exercise Balikatan, would form part of the repositioning of troops and assets of the US in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca), other than aiding the military against China’s aggressive military activities in the disputed territory.
On Tuesday US Marines participating in the war games fired six rockets from two Himars platforms at the Crow Valley Gunnery Range in Tarlac, with the Filipino troops observing the live fire exercise.
On Monday Balikatan officials disclosed that US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter will fly to the Philippines to observe the firing of the Himars in the latter part of the war games, the first time that a US defense secretary will be present in the yearly exercise between Filipino soldiers and their American counterparts.
Officials have issued statements that after the Balikatan, the Himars would be taken to Palawan without elaborating.
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