US & Philippines Destroy “Mock” Enemy Ship Target in Precision-Rocket Fire Test

By Olawale Abaire, Warrior Editorial Fellow

The South China Sea, a focus of geopolitical tensions, witnessed a significant military exercise. In a recent display of military might, the combined forces of the United States and the Philippines demonstrated their prowess with support from an Australian Air Force surveillance aircraft. This was done through a series of high-precision rocket launches, artillery fire, and airstrikes, culminating in the sinking of a simulated enemy vessel. This was part of a large-scale war exercise conducted in and around the contentious South China Sea, a move that has not gone unnoticed by Beijing.

The drills were conducted in and near the disputed South China Sea, with military officials and diplomats from several countries observing the display of firepower. The exercise involved more than 16,000 military personnel from the United States and the Philippines, a few hundred Australian troops, and military observers from 14 countries. The Australian air force provided surveillance support, while the U.S. and Philippine forces unleashed a barrage of high-precision rockets and artillery fire. The culmination of this joint operation was the sinking of a mock enemy ship.

The war drills were not intended toward a specific country or intended as any kind of provocation, according to military officials cited in a South China Morning Post essay. The combat drills, merely intended to refine joint readiness among US and Philippine allied forces in the region, were part of what’s called the annual Balikatan Joint Military Exercises, as described by the paper. 

US & Philippine alliance

This exercise is the most recent manifestation of the strengthening defense treaty alliance between the United States and the Philippines, an alliance that originated in the 1950s. The focus of this alliance has shifted in recent years due to growing concerns over China’s increasingly assertive actions in disputed Asian territories.

The President of Philippines, Bongbong Marcos has directed his military to pivot from long-standing domestic anti-insurgency operations to external defense, in light of China’s activities in the South China Sea becoming a primary concern. This strategic shift aligns with the efforts of U.S. President Joe Biden and his administration to fortify a network of alliances in the Indo-Pacific region as a countermeasure against China.

China’s aggressive actions, which include repeated harassment of Philippine navy and coast guard ships using powerful water cannons, military-grade lasers, and other dangerous maneuvers in the high seas near two disputed South China Sea shoals, have provoked the Philippines. These actions have resulted in minor collisions that have injured several Filipino navy personnel and damaged supply boats.