US and Philippine forces are set to conduct their first-ever “full battle test” during this year’s Balikatan military exercises, marking a significant step in the deepening security partnership between Washington and Manila. The annual drills, which begin on Monday, will simulate realistic battle scenarios, testing the capabilities of both nations to fight together in high-stakes regions such as Taiwan and the South China Sea.
The Balikatan exercises, which have grown increasingly complex in recent years, will combine tactics and strategies developed over the past two years. These include targeting enemy ships with missiles from shore and defending islands from potential attacks. The aim is to conduct a war scenario that mirrors real-world conditions and demonstrate the strength of the US-Philippines mutual defense pact, which has been in place since 1951.
“We will demonstrate not just our will to uphold our mutual defense treaty but our matchless capability to do so,” said US exercise director Lieutenant General James Glynn at the opening ceremony in Manila. General Romeo Brawner, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, added that the forces were now testing all the plans and procedures developed in previous years.
The complexity of this year’s drills underscores the shifting dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, with the US military sharpening its focus on the region amid growing tensions with China. Despite the uncertainty caused by the foreign policy swings of the Trump administration, analysts see this year’s exercises as a clear signal that the US remains committed to its allies in the region.
In a visit to the Philippines last month, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the importance of re-establishing deterrence and reaffirming the US’s role alongside its regional allies. A leaked strategy document also highlighted China as the “sole pacing threat,” with Washington willing to “assume risk” in other areas to concentrate on the Indo-Pacific.
The scale and scope of the Balikatan exercises reflect the strengthened defense ties between the US and the Philippines since the election of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2022. Marcos has reversed the policies of his predecessor, who had sought to improve relations with China, and has instead allowed greater US military access to Philippine bases. The Philippines has granted the US access to four additional military bases, bringing the total number of US-accessible sites to nine.
The exercises themselves have grown in size and intensity, with nearly 18,000 troops participating in 2023—almost double the number in previous years. Last year, the drills expanded to include Batanes, the Philippines’ northernmost territory, which lies close to Taiwan. This year, the drills will extend to three islands bordering Taiwan, and for the first time, US Marine Corps will deploy anti-ship missiles in the Luzon Strait.
One of the key components of this year’s Balikatan is the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations (MKTSO), which will extend to the disputed waters of the South China Sea. A five-day MKTSO will be held on Balabac, an islet just south of Palawan, a key location in the ongoing maritime disputes between the Philippines and China. This part of the exercise is expected to test the readiness of both forces to prevent enemy landings in the region, with a live-fire drill planned on Palawan’s beaches.
In a historic first, Japan will participate in the Balikatan exercises, joining Australia, which has been contributing small contingents to the drills since 2014. Japan’s involvement reflects the growing regional security cooperation among US allies in the Indo-Pacific as tensions with China continue to rise.
As the Balikatan exercises unfold, they will serve not only as a test of military capabilities but also as a clear message of unity and resolve among the US, the Philippines, and their regional allies in the face of growing geopolitical challenges in the South China Sea and beyond.
