Balikatan Combat Exercise

News: Japan will deploy combat units to participate in the Balikatan exercises for the first time, marking a historic shift in its security engagement with Southeast Asia.

About Balikatan Combat Exercise

• It is the largest bilateral military exercise conducted between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S.A.
• It is also known as  “shoulder-to-shoulder,” an exercise reflecting the spirit of the exercise and symbolizing the strong alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
• Frequency: It is held annually. 
• Aim: It is designed to strengthen regional security through combined operations.
• First Edition: The first Balikatan Exercises took place in 2001.
• The 2026 edition is the 41st iteration of the exercise.
• Duration: It will start from 20th April to 8th May 2026.
• Participating nations: More than 17,000 soldiers from seven participating nations will be taking part in the exercise.
  • The troops will come from the Philippines, U.S.A, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand.
  • This would be the first time since World War II that Japanese combat troops will be on Philippine soil. 
  • Also for the first time, Japan will fire a Type 88 ground-to-surface missile during the drills.
• Activities conducted:
  • The drills will cover land, sea, air and cyberspace domains.
  • The drills typically involve a wide range of activities, including maritime security, amphibious operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response.