Philippine and United States troops carried out a live-fire exercise off the coasts of Zambales and Ilocos Norte as part of the annual Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA).
According to a statement from the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) on Sunday, units from the US Marine Corps (USMC) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) engaged in a live-fire event near Camp Bojeador in Ilocos Norte and in waters west of the Naval Education, Training, and Doctrine Command (NETDC) in Zambales.
MASA is a joint PH-US military exercise in the Philippines aimed at enhancing mutual defense capabilities, strengthening bilateral relations, and practicing emerging aviation concepts. This year's MASA runs from June 3 to June 21.
On the ground, Philippine Marines utilized ground-based artillery to target staged maritime objects made of wood and concrete, located four nautical miles west of Camp Bojeador. Concurrently, US Marines provided fire coordination support to enhance bilateral coordination and proficiency between US and Philippine forces.
In Zambales, USMC F-35B Lightning II multi-role stealth fighters, operating out of Clark Air Base in Pampanga, performed air strikes on simulated maritime targets three nautical miles west of NETDC.
"Philippine unmanned aerial systems supported both live-fire events to increase maritime domain awareness capabilities and ensure the safe execution of the training events," I MEF reported.
Authorities confirmed that the Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, and air traffic control authorities had cleared and secured the training areas to ensure safety and prevent any impact on civilians.
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