Thousands of American and Philippine troops, joined for the first time by a significant Japanese contingent, have begun large-scale annual military exercises in the Philippines.
The 19-day Balikatan (‘Shoulder to Shoulder’) drills involve more than 17,000 personnel from the United States and the Philippines, along with forces from Japan and smaller contingents from Australia, New Zealand, France and Canada. U.S. officials said around 10,000 American personnel are taking part this year.
The exercises include live-fire drills in northern areas of the Philippines facing the Taiwan Strait, as well as operations in provinces near the disputed South China Sea, where Philippine and Chinese forces have repeatedly clashed in recent years. One of the planned exercises involves the Japanese military using a Type 88 cruise missile to target a decommissioned World War II-era vessel off northern Luzon.
For the first time, Japan is playing a major operational role, contributing about 1,400 personnel. The drills are also expected to incorporate a U.S. Typhon missile system deployed in the region since 2024, a move that previously drew criticism from China.
U.S. Lieutenant General Christian Wortman said Washington’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific remains “unwavering,” despite instability elsewhere. Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner said U.S. Indo-Pacific Command had described this year’s exercises as the “biggest ever.”
