‘War game’ ends Balikatan

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac — A 14-day part of the controversial Balikatan 03-1 conducted by American soldiers with Filipino counterparts under the Armed Forces’ Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) will culminate with a "war game" today at Fort Magsaysay in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija.

According to Lt. Col. Preme Monta, Nolcom’s spokesman, the joint maneuvers’ conclusion will be highlighted with a "combined infantry operation" at Hernandez Hill that will be witnessed by Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, national and local officials, and other AFP top brasses.

He said the joint military demonstration "will highlight the interoperability of (US and Philippine) forces, as they integrate the various weapons systems employed in the field training exercises."

The combined American-Filipino "military operation" will involve the use of artillery fires, attack aircraft and sniper fires and a variety of combat support to ground troop maneuvers against a designated target.

Specifically, Monta said, the joint exercise will display "how an infantry battalion is supported during the conduct of an attack."

Such support will be in the form of "combat arms" using mortars and sniper fires, and "combat support arms" provided by artillery and close air attacks.

Monta said 946 American and Filipino soldiers from the Philippine Army, the Philippine Marines, the 2/7 US Marine Corps and the US Army Pacific Command (USARPAC)will participate in the exercises.

Aside from learning joint infantry operations, the US and Filipino troops were also introduced to urban terrain warfare, artillery and combat engineer operations.

Nolcom commanding officer, Maj. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, said that the techniques learned from American troops, particularly the use of modern weaponry, "will help boost the AFP’s capability in fighting local and foreign threats to the country’s security and stability." — Benjie Villa, James Mananghaya