Balikatan 22: United States and Philippines Hold Largest Military Exercise in 7 Years

The United States and the Philippines launched the start of Balikatan 22, an annual joint military exercise, last Monday. This is the 37th iteration of the event, with this year having the largest number of participants in seven years. “Balikatan is a critical opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our Philippine allies toward a ‘free and […]

The Pic of the Day: USS Wasp carries full load of F-35s alongside Philippine navy

The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), center, maneuvers alongside the Philippine navy landing platform dock ship BRP Tarlac (LD 601) and offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS 16) in support of Exercise Balikatan 2019 in the South China Sea on April 5, 2019. In its 35th iteration, Balikatan is an annual U.S.-Philippine […]

Pentagon considers airstrikes in the Philippines, but it seems unlikely

NBC News recently cited two anonymous defense officials who stated that as early as tomorrow there could be a named program to begin conducting airstrikes in the Philippines, most likely with Predator drones.  While this is certainly one possibility, it is highly unlikely.  First, this would mean a new escalation in American military involvement in […]