Exercise Balikatan 2025

Exercise Balikatan Latest News

As many as 17,000 personnel are participating in the annual “Balikatan” exercises, which this year will simulate a “full-scale battle scenario” as the treaty allies seek to deter China’s ambitions in the waterway.

About Balikatan Exercise

• It is the largest bilateral exercise conducted between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States.
• “Balikatan,” a Tagalog phrase that means “shoulder-to-shoulder,”  characterizes the spirit of the exercise and represents the alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
• Held annually, Exercise Balikatan is designed to enhance military interoperability and readiness in support of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines.
• The 2025 edition is the 40th iteration of the exercise.
• Distinguishing itself from past iterations, Balikatan 25 will feature a Full Battle Test that incorporates real-world forces and events into a virtual and constructive exercise scenario. 
• The exercise will span all domains—air, land, sea, space, and cyber—testing the interoperability between U.S. and Philippine forces to simulate the defense of Philippine sovereignty.
• The exercise will consist of four primary components: a Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) operation, humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) activities, a command-and-control exercise (C2X), and a Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MME). 
• Each component will encompass several training events and engagement throughout the Philippines.

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Exercise Balikatan FAQs

Q1. What is Balikatan Exercise?

Ans. It is the largest bilateral exercise conducted between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States.

Q2. The Balikatan Exercise is held in support of which treaty?

Ans. It is in support of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines.

Q3. Which new feature will distinguish Balikatan 25 from previous exercises?

Ans. Full Battle Test with real-world forces and virtual scenarios

Source: TH