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| PF-15 BRP Gregorio del Pilar of the Philippines Navy |
By Prashanth Parameswaran
Drills come amidst rising tensions in the South China Sea.
The Philippines is set to hold military drills with its ally the United States and its strategic partner Japan next week, Philippine officials confirmed Thursday.
The exercises with the United States technically began on June 18, but will be formally opened only on June 22 and run till June 30. They are part of the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercises which Washington carries out with several South and Southeast Asian nations (See: “US Eyes Expanded Military Exercises With ASEAN Navies”).
During the exercises, the United States will deploy its littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth, while the Philippines will deploy the BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz. Philippine Fleet public affairs officer Lt. Liezel Vidallon said the exercises would involve helicopter crash and salvage, live fire, deck landing qualification, board and seizure and weapons systems training.
Read the full story at The Diplomat