Overview
- The exercises closed Friday, May 8, with a ceremony in Manila that commanders said capped the largest Balikatan and a shift to a full-scale multinational mission rehearsal.
- A multinational maritime strike sank two retired Philippine Navy ships using Japan’s Type‑88 anti‑ship missile, Philippine FA‑50s and A‑29s, and supporting U.S. fires.
- A new U.S.-led command system, the INDOPACOM Mission Network, linked partners through a Combined Coordination Center at Camp Aguinaldo to share data and control forces in real time.
- The drills showcased long‑range and coastal defense fires, including a U.S. Tomahawk launch from the Typhon system, deployments of HIMARS and NMESIS, and Japan’s first Type‑88 live fire outside its territory.
- Philippine officials outlined deeper cooperation with Japan, plans to acquire more missile systems, and an expanded exercise area in future iterations beyond waters the country claims in the South China Sea.