Joint naval drills prepares Philippines, 5 nations for 'evolving maritime security challenges'

MANILA, Philippines — A six-country joint naval exercise led by the Philippines and the United States concluded last week amid rising tensions with China. 

Nearly 1,000 naval personnel from the Philippines, United States, Canada, Japan, France and Australia participated in two weeks of joint training and tactical drills during the annual exercise dubbed the Exercise Sama Sama (Togetherness), which ran from October 7 to 18. 

The Sama Sama exercise, aimed at enhanced military cooperation, took place in the waters off northern Luzon, close to the maritime area facing Taiwan.

Like last year, this year's exercises involved high-intensity drills that included sessions on anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air warfare. It also included simulated maritime operations, humanitarian assistance exercises and tactical drills designed to improve interoperability among participating nations.  

The joint drills also trained the six nations' naval forces to address "evolving maritime security challenges by incorporating scenarios that reflect the latest maritime warfare and operational demands."

Naval forces from the Philippines and the United States — the country's only treaty partner — also conducted advanced maritime drills on October 14 as part of the joint exercise. This included anti-submarine warfare training such as the Combined Anti-Submarine Exercise, where both forces engaged in Torpedo Exercises using the Expandable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare Training Target, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.  

The six-nation joint naval drills highlight the Philippine Navy's "steadfast commitment to collaborating closely with allied counterparts, strengthening mutual dedication to maintaining peace and security in the maritime domain," the Naval Forces Northern Luzon said in a statement on October 19. 

"The Philippine Navy, the US Navy, and other participating nations have strengthened regional cooperation and fostered enduring collaborative relationships to promote maritime security and stability," it added.

Amid the conduct of the six-nation joint exercises, China said it staged war games in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan on October 14. Beijing sees the self-ruled island as a rogue nation and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.  

This year's Sama Sama exercise — its seventh iteration — occurred against the backdrop of China's escalating aggression in the South China Sea, including increased attacks and risky maneuvers targeting smaller Philippine boats.

Chinese vessels' repeated incursions into the West Philippine Sea — the part of the South China Sea that refers to the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, have prompted calls for the Philippines to buff up its naval forces and strengthen its defense cooperation with nations opposing Beijing's growing assertiveness in the region.