A BOND forged by the horrors, slaughter and devastation of the last global war further strengthened as Filipino and Australian troops for the first time ever conducted military exercises aimed at enhancing the interoperability and readiness of the participating forces aside from increasing their team capability to respond to any security challenges.
Dubbed “Exercise Alon” between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Australian Defense Force (ADF), the war drills formally opened aboard the Royal Australian Navy’s landing helicopter dock, HMAS Canberra, at Darwin on August 14, and formally ended in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, on August 31.
“Alon” is part of Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavor (IPE) 2023, which aims to promote security, stability, and stronger partnership through bilateral and multilateral engagement training, capacity building and humanitarian efforts.
And its name (alon means waves in Tagalog), according to AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Enrico Gil Ileto, connotes the prime characteristic of amphibious warfare.
“The term ‘waves’ signifies the characteristics of amphibious warfare and emphasizes the projection of ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore,” he explained.
Alon aims to enhance regional security through cooperation and partnership aside from enhancing interoperability and readiness to respond to shared security challenges of Filipino and Australian units.
This year’s iteration included an air assault exercise in Palawan conducted on August 21, combined amphibious assault exercise in Zambales on August 25, and live-fire training as the final phase in Capas, Tarlac, on August 31.
“Exercise Alon” participants included an initial 560 personnel from the AFP, and 1,200 from the ADF, with support from 120 United States Marine Corps (USMC) personnel.
Participating assets included the HMAS Canberra and frigate HMAS Anzac, with the Tarlac-class BRP Davao del Sur, close air support from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A “Lightning II” aircraft, Australian Army M-1A1 “Abrams” main battle tanks and two PMC amphibious assault vehicles along with the USMC’s MV-22 tiltrotor “Osprey” aircraft.
“Exercise Alon” enhanced the forces’ capability in conducting combined operations and improved their tactics, techniques and procedures on amphibious operations.
A resounding success
AND with the first-ever “Exercise Alon” being a resounding success, its exercise director, PMC deputy commandant Brig. Gen. Jimmy Larida, is pleased to note that the strategic objectives of the AFP and ADF for the drills have been met.
“So it is indeed a very successful exercise even though this is the first and big amphibious exercise between the ADF and the AFP, the planners and the training audience were able to jell immediately that [this] resulted in the success of the exercises both in the air assault in Punta Baja in Palawan and the amphibious assault in Zambales,” he said at the closing ceremonies on August 29.
Larida also stressed that they will be able to improve the succeeding iterations, as they have identified areas where Filipino troops are proficient, and those where further improvements are needed.
The PMC official also stressed that the next iteration of “Exercise Alon,” scheduled for 2025, will definitely be bigger than the first.
Long-standing military partnership
THE Philippines and Australia enjoy a deep bilateral relationship in the field of defense, dating back to World War II.
Australia’s military involvement in the liberation of the Philippines began in June 1943, when eight Australian servicemen who had escaped from Sandakan in Sabah joined the Filipino guerrillas fighting in Tawi-Tawi.
The Royal Australian Air Force or RAAF contributed to the Philippines’ liberation, beginning with photographic reconnaissance missions over the Philippines starting August 1944.
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) contributed cruisers, destroyers, hydrographic survey and landing ships, while Australian Army soldiers served as analysts in the RAAF signals intelligence unit and as bombardment liaison teams and landing detachments aboard Australian warships.
RAN ships also participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait on October 25, 1944, when the Japanese fleet was defeated while attempting to destroy the Leyte landing forces.
No less significant was the Australian contribution to the second Allied landing in the Philippines on December 15, 1944.
To guard against Japanese Navy interference from nearby Manila Bay, 24 RAAF “Catalina” bombers mined the entrance to Manila Bay on the eve of the landing.
In the third and final major landing in the Philippines, 46 RAN sailors were killed in three separate attacks while Allied ships were approaching and in the Lingayen Gulf.
RAN cruisers, destroyers, hydrographic survey and landing ships together with their Army detachments participated in the operation.
Both countries’ defense engagement continues to this day, underpinned by an Enhanced Defence Cooperation Program (E-DCP), with key pillars of maritime security and counterterrorism, in addition to training and education, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and Gender, Peace and Security.
Defense engagement occurs under the provisions of the long-standing Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation (1995) and the Australia-Philippines Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (2012), offering a comprehensive legal and operational framework for defense cooperation.
Iterations
MEANWHILE, Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary Erineo Espino, who represented DND Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. at the August 29 closing ceremonies, said they look forward to having more iterations of “Exercise Alon.”
“The DND thus looks forward to the succeeding iterations of ‘Exercise Alon’ while sustaining existing bilateral and multilateral exercises,” he added.
Espino also said the just-concluded exercises allowed the AFP and ADF, with support from US troops, to successfully conduct complex operations in response to simulated security threats, aside from opening more “avenues for more interoperability and deeper people-to-people cooperation.”
“Australia’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour or the IPE [this 2023], of which ‘Exercise Alon’ is a part, presents a unique opportunity for the DND and the AFP to participate in and gather insights on regional security initiative,” he added.
Espino said this venue is also ideal for the Philippine Navy to strengthen its capabilities on maritime security, while enhancing interoperability and linkages with its Australian counterparts.
“Considering that Australia is one of the only two defense partners within which the Philippines has a status of Visiting Forces Agreement, the IPE also advances our bilateral defense correlations,” he noted.
Top brass flown to SCS
IN another related development, ranking military officials from the Philippines, United States, Japan and Australia flew over the South China Sea (SCS) on board a US maritime patrol aircraft last week.
The US Indo-Pacific Command identified the military leaders as:
• Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr.; Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command;
• Commodore Juario Marayag, Philippine Navy Naval Air Wing Commander;
• Brig. Gen. Erick Quijada Escarcha, Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Wing West commander.
• Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, US 7th Fleet;
• Lt. Gen. Greg Bilton, Australian Defence Force Chief of Joint Operations; and
• Vice Adm. Saito Akira, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Commander-in-Chief Self-Defense Fleet.
These military commanders embarked on a flight over the SCS on board a US Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft on August 26.
“During the flight, they were able to observe the maritime environment and discuss ways to increase interoperability, preserve regional stability, and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the US Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement.
The navies of the US, Australia and Japan also held port calls in Manila—Australia’s landing helicopter dock ship HMAS Canberra, Japan’s helicopter-carrying destroyer JS Izumo and the US’ amphibious assault ship USS America.
Prior to the overflight, the four met in Manila to “further grow the cooperation” among the four armed forces.
During the meeting, Thomas emphasized the importance of like-minded nations working together in the air and on the sea to support a peaceful, secure and prosperous region.
Further, he opened the engagement by explaining he was “honored to sail and operate side-by-side each of you here today.”
“Our relationship with the Philippines is one of our most enduring,” Thomas said.
“There’s no country more aware of the threats being posed in the South China Sea. Every nation benefits from a free and open Indo-Pacific. We will continue to strengthen our partnerships and look for more creative ways to operate together,” he stressed.
“Australia, Japan, the Philippines, the United States, and the rest of the Pacific partner nations are committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region while adhering to the Law of the Sea,” Thomas said.
“When we operate together, we demonstrate the importance of the freedom of navigation and reinforce the prosperity of all nations who rely on these critical waterways,” he added.
Image credits: Riley Blennerhassett/Australian Department of Defense via AP, Earvin Perias/Pool Photo via AP, LCPL Riley Blennerhassett/Australian Department of Defense via AP