Joint RP-US training of elite AFP troops to push through

Despite denials by Malacañang and top defense and military officials, the government has not dropped its plan to create — in collaboration with the United States — a super military unit called Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) that may be dispatched during national and international crisis situations.

Confidential documents obtained by The STAR indicated that the RDF would be a brigade-size composite unit consisting of about 1,500 crack troops from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines who specialized in counter-terrorism.

As envisioned, the RDF would be immediately mobilized in cases of small-scale crisis in the country.

It would also serve as the country’s contribution to any regional and international military response to crisis situations, as well as a Philippine contingent under the United Nations Standby Arrangement System.

In addition, the RDF will constitute the country’s unit to be fielded during bilateral and multilateral military training exercises.

Under the plan, the RDF would be trained and adequately equipped for civilian disaster victims; combat search, rescue and recovery; counter-terrorism, peacekeeping missions and civil-military actions.

The formation of the RDF was proposed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the RP-US Mutual Defense Board (MDB).

The AFP recommended that the five-year MDB work plan that began last year should be focused on the development of a highly trained and well-equipped RDF with its own bases of operations and staging areas.

Under the proposal, both countries would identify exercises, draw up military exchange and training programs, as well as seminars, workshops and similar activities under the auspices of the Mutual Defense Treaty.

Officials revealed that joint military exercises held last year involved RDF-related activities.

It was not clear if the US would also help in providing equipment to the RDF in the same manner that it granted over $1 million to help arm the AFPs Light Reaction Companies created as counter-terrorism units.

The AFP is expected to decide shortly on the final shape, size and composition of the RDF.