THE Philippine Navy (PN) formally sent on Thursday its contingent to the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac), the world’s biggest military exercise on sea led by the United States, which will be held in Hawaii.
PN officials led by Vice Admiral Adeluis Bordado led the send-off ceremony in Subic for the Navy’s Naval Task Group 80.5 aboard the BRP Antonio Luna, which will be participating in the naval exercise from June 29 to August 4.
“Rimpac’s theme indicates a positive interdependent relationship among nations and the cooperative nature of managing maritime security,” Bordado said.
“It also resonates with the orientation of the Philippine Navy’s intention to raise the level of its involvement in international defense and security engagements,” he added.
PN spokesman Cdr. Benjo Negranza said the presence of the Navy at Rimpac should convey the command’s “commitment and cooperation with the US and other regional navies.”
The Rimpac, considered as a world naval exercise, is held biennially to promote regional stability in the Pacific region. This year is the third time that the Navy joined the exercise.
At least 27 countries from Southeast Asia and other parts of the world will be joining the Rimpac.
Marines
Meanwhile, the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the US Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (Marforpac) held a capacity enhancement training on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Rapid Infiltration (HIRAIN) on Wednesday at the Laoag International Airport in Ilocos Norte.
The exercise was part of the ongoing bilateral military training involving both Marine forces.
Marine spokesman Major Emery Torre said the Philippine Air Force and Marforpac participated in the demonstration, which was witnessed by Laoag City Mayor Michael Marcos Keon and representatives from the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces Agreement led by Bryce Advincula.
The HIRAIN lectures and demonstrations focused on training related to airfield seizure via air assault and HIRAIN as an application of rapid deployment for coastal defense.
Torre said that before the exercise, Col. Gregorio Hernandez Jr., assistant director of the Exercise Directorate Headquarters (EDH) of Marine Aviation Support Activity 2022 (MASA 22), provided an update on the PMC’s capability development in support of maritime security and area denial.
The development includes the acquisition of the HIMARS that strengthens archipelagic coastal defense.