During this year’s Balikatan exercises in Claveria, Cagayan, Filipino and American soldiers conducted a bilateral amphibious exercise known as Amphibex.
The transfer of attack amphibious vehicles (AAVs) from L-class ships to the shore is known as Amphibex.
It necessitates the vertical insertion of troops using both armed forces’ aviation assets.
“This exercise continues to build the relationship with our Filipino counterpart in Northern Luzon and across the Philippines,” said Captain Kevin Smith, strategic communications officer of the US 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment.
“We chose Northern Luzon as it gives us to look at different beach sites to train on different terrains, which keeps our skills sharp and provides our counterparts the opportunity to continue to train in areas that challenge us. We just don’t repeat things over and over again,” he added.
The exercise tested the capacity of the bilateral force to capture a coastal objective as part of a complicated, combined arms operation involving Philippine and US ground, naval, and aviation elements.
“Cagayan was chosen as the location of this year’s Amphibex because it’s a changing scenario and situation and the Philippines has a wide shoreline. This place also fits the standards of the training as it can accommodate a large number of forces to land,” said Major General Laurence Mina, Philippine’s 5th Infantry Division Commander.
US, PH troops hold amphibious assault exercises in Cagayan
The Amphibex’s execution started with the launch of AAVs from the USS Ashland and BRP Tarlac.
The AAVs then launched a mechanized assault and grabbed a beach at Claveria, which was the primary attack on the target.
The amphibious assault was followed by heliborne operations involving the vertical insertion of troops from the Marine Batallion Landing Team – 10 onboard Black Hawk and the United States Marine Corps. Marines in their CH-53 rotary-winged aircraft.
Several modern AFP assets, including Black Hawk helicopters, AAVs, and the BRP Tarlac, were displayed at this year’s Balikatan.
These assets were bought as part of the AFP Modernization Program, which is ongoing.
“For the Filipinos, training your armed forces will give security assurance to our countrymen, if you are stagnant and the enemy is improving, we need to adjust, training is one to address those, and this is one of the benefits of the Filipinos in Balikatan, it’s all about security, it’s all about securing our country,” Mina stated.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.