On October 22, US and Filipino marines engaged in live-fire drills to thwart a simulated amphibious invasion by an adversary, possibly China. The drills were conducted less than 150 miles from the August scene where the Chinese & Philippines coast guard clashed. 

The exercise took place as part of the annual Kamandag exercise, which aims to enhance military cooperation between the two nations in the face of rising regional tensions.

Nearly 150 US Marines from the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, based in Camp Pendleton, California, participated alongside 150 Filipino counterparts from the Palawan-based 3rd Marine Brigade. 

The drill, held in Aborlan, Palawan, positioned the forces directly opposite the South China Sea and approximately 125 miles east of Sabina Shoal, a flashpoint in ongoing maritime disputes between Manila and Beijing. 

Ahead of the live-fire drill, marines from both nations established camouflaged fighting positions in the coastal dunes, simulating defensive measures in anticipation of an enemy amphibious landing. 

The exercise also saw two US F-35 fighter jets, two AH-1 Cobras, and two UH-1 Venom helicopters in action. The aircraft fired laser-guided missiles to strike targets in the sea. 

Additionally, Javelin and Stingray missiles were launched, and 105 mm Howitzer cannons, along with light machine guns, were fired during the operation. 

“As you can see, Kamandag 08-24 is bigger in terms of coverage. Aside from the US Marine Corps, we now have delegations from Japan, and we have observers from the UK, Indonesia, Thailand, and Australia,” said Philippine Marine Corps Commandant Maj. Gen. Arturo Rojas. 

The attack helicopters were launched from Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan and participated in the assault. The air base, located in Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s westernmost city, is among nine military facilities where US forces are granted access under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. 

US Marines set up an expeditionary advanced base at the airfield ahead of the exercise, in line with tactics intended to block potential adversaries or resupply friendly forces from remote locations in the Pacific. 

Colonel Sean Dynan, Commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), praised the collaboration with Filipino marines, saying, “The systems, the firing holes that the marines dug—we learned that from the Filipinos. Your marines know how to fight in this terrain, how to best camouflage in this terrain to conceal your position.”

He added, “And for us, it’s our understanding of how to best employ the weapon system safely and set the safety stops associated with lateral limits on how we control fires. I think the mutual trust and respect allow us to operate together and improve.”

Exercise Highlights US-Philippine Military Ties

The ongoing Kamandag exercise, which kicked off on October 15 and is scheduled to conclude on October 25, has drawn over 1,000 troops from the US Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. 

In addition to US forces, elite troops from the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) are participating alongside military personnel from Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Australia, marking a significant international collaboration in this year’s “KAMANDAG 08-24.”

The Kamandag drills are part of this year’s activities organized by the Mutual Defense Board—Security Exchange Board. This board, composed of security officials from both nations, sets the agenda for joint defense activities. 

One of the central events of the Kamandag exercise was the live-fire drill held in Palawan. This drill served as a critical component of the larger operation and showcased the joint preparedness of US and Filipino forces to respond to a variety of combat scenarios. 

This drill takes place along the coast facing the South China Sea, approximately 125 miles east of Sabina Shoal. Sabina Shoal has been a hotspot of tensions, and it was the site of a serious maritime incident in late August when vessels from the Philippine and Chinese coast guards collided.

U.S. Marines assigned to Charlie Battery, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare to conduct a convoy during exercise KAMANDAG 8 at Puerto Princesa, Palawan Province, Philippines, Oct. 20, 2024.

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During the August 31 incident, Philippine officials accused a Chinese vessel of deliberately ramming a Philippine ship three times. In contrast, Chinese authorities claimed the Philippine ship was responsible for initiating the clash. 

This confrontation was just the latest in a string of incidents occurring in or near the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), highlighting the simmering disputes between the two countries over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

China has consistently blamed the Philippines for these confrontations, accusing Filipino forces of “illegally” encroaching on Chinese territory. 

In September, Beijing issued a stern warning, stating that its relationship with Manila was “at a crossroads” and urging the Philippines to “seriously consider the future” of their bilateral ties. 

Rising tensions have placed the United States in a delicate position. As a long-standing ally of the Philippines, the US is bound by a mutual defense treaty that obliges it to help Manila in the event of an armed attack by a third party. 

The US has explicitly stated that this defense commitment includes incidents involving Filipino troops, coast guard personnel, public vessels, or aircraft anywhere in the South China Sea. As such, these escalating maritime disputes between the Philippines and China have the potential to draw the United States in, further complicating the regional security landscape.

Against this backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, the live-fire drill in Palawan takes on added significance. Situated around 200 kilometers from the site of the August clash, the exercise sends a strong message about the readiness of the US-Philippines alliance to confront potential threats and secure their shared interests in the region. 

Counter-landing exercises like these are also especially crucial in light of the growing frequency of Chinese military amphibious landing drills in recent years. These drills are seen as a potential precursor to operations aimed at seizing strategic territories. 

The heightened focus on amphibious capabilities by China raises concerns that such maneuvers could be deployed to capture disputed islands or key coastal areas in the region, particularly in contested zones like the South China Sea, where multiple nations, including the Philippines, have competing territorial claims. 

As a result, joint training exercises between the Philippines and its allied countries focused on repelling such landings are important for ensuring preparedness and reinforcing regional security. 

That being said, the Kamandag exercises continue to reinforce the importance of cooperation and preparedness between the two allies in an increasingly contested Indo-Pacific region.

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