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3w ago

Record Balikatan Drills in Philippines to Field 17,000 Troops and Japan’s Type 88 Missiles

The exercise signals a broader allied push to deter coercion in the Western Pacific.

U.S. and Filipino soldiers fire a howitzer during the annual joint military exercises between the U.S. and Philippine troops called "Balikatan" or shoulder-to-shoulder, in Aparri, Cagayan province, Philippines, May 3, 2025. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David/File Photo
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Mistral-class LHD Dixmude and La Fayette-class frigate Aconit setting sails from Toulon on 17 February 2026. Hervé Dermoune picture.
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Overview

  • Organizers said Tuesday the 41st Balikatan will run April 20 to May 8 across the Philippines with more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France and New Zealand, plus 17 observer nations.
  • Japan will send about 1,400 Self-Defense Force troops with warships, aircraft and a Type 88 anti-ship missile that will help sink a decommissioned vessel, an event Philippine officials said Japan’s defense minister plans to observe.
  • The United States is expected to contribute about 10,000 service members, with training across air, land, sea, space and cyber that includes joint task forces, maritime security, coastal defense, integrated fires and large logistics offloads.
  • France has scaled back to roughly 15 to 20 personnel because forces were redirected for the Middle East crisis, though its team will join headquarters activities and cyber drills in Manila, according to French officials.
  • The expanded drills follow recent run-ins between Chinese and Philippine forces in the South China Sea, and no neighboring Southeast Asian country is joining as a participant this year, reflecting regional caution over taking sides.