All articles tagged with #balikatan 2026
Balikatan 2026 in the Philippines brought 17,000+ US and allied troops for a large-scale Pacific defense drill, testing long-range missiles (including Tomahawk launches from the Typhon system), drones, counter-invasion tactics, and electronic warfare to defend beaches and deny sea access, while showcasing interoperability and drone-resilience concepts like 3D-printed parts.
During Balikatan 2026 in the Philippines, the Hawaii-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment practiced dispersed operations across 17 locations to test its distributed, littoral warfare posture, including NMESIS missile launches and MADIS air-defense capabilities, with basing on the Batanes islands to simulate strait security; live missile firings had not occurred yet, but crews exercised multi-domain command and control with regional partners.
During Balikatan 2026, Japan fired two Type 88 anti-ship missiles from sand dunes near Laoag—the first combat deployment on Philippine soil since WWII—over a six-minute flight to hit a decommissioned minesweeper 47 miles away. The exercise, overseen by a US Marine unit, also featured a GMLRS rocket from a US HIMARS and other simulated attacks, highlighting strengthened Japan-Philippines defense cooperation amid regional tensions with China. Philippine and Japanese defense leaders attended the event, and Manila plans to expand security ties and potentially buy more Japanese equipment in the future.
During Balikatan 2026 in the Philippines, Japan fired two Type 88 anti-ship missiles from a 6×6 JGSDF launcher at a decommissioned BRP Quezon, sinking the target about six minutes later at roughly 75 km. The live-fire was part of a multinational drill involving about 17,000 troops and marked the first participation of Japanese combat troops on Philippine soil since WWII. USMC NMESIS was present (but did not fire), and an American HIMARS had previously engaged the target. The exercise underscored growing defense cooperation as Japan plans to replace the Type 88 with the Type 12; the Type 88 range is 180 km and carries a 225 kg warhead.
During Exercise Balikatan 2026 in the Luzon Strait, a decommissioned BRP Quezon was sunk in a live-fire event after coordinated strikes by U.S., Philippine, and Japanese forces, employing NMESIS with NSMs, Philippine C-Star missiles, Type 88 coastal missiles, and supporting GMLRS and other assets; the drill showcased dispersed, mobile anti-ship capabilities and underscored the Luzon Strait’s strategic importance as a corridor between Taiwan and the Pacific, highlighting how allied forces expect to contest the waterway in a future conflict.