SINIMULAN na ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at kanilang US counterpart ang paghahanda kaugnay sa gagawing taunang joint military war exercise.
Ayon kay Philippine Army Spokesman Col. Xerxes Trinidad, pinangunahan ng Philippine Army ang site survey ng mga lugar na pagdarausan ng military exercise.
Ito na ang ika-38 joint military exercise ng Hukbong Sandatahan ng Pilipinas at US Armed Forces.
Kasunod ng inspeksyon ang planning conference ng mga team ng Philippines at US military sa Armed Forces of the Philippines Education, Training and Doctrine Command sa Camp Aguinaldo sa susunod na linggo.
Inaasahang kabilang sa isasagawang sabayang pagsasanay ng mga Pilipino at Amerikanong sundalo ang Field Training Exercises, tampok ang live fire exercises at military urban operations.
“Balikatan is an annual exercise between the AFP and the United States Armed Forces’ Indo-Pacific Command geared at enhancing both forces’ interoperability. The annual bilateral activity is also aimed at strengthening the capacity and competencies of both forces in a spectrum of military operations such as counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance and disaster response,” pahayag pa ni Col. Trinidad. (JESSE KABEL)
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