By Priam Nepomuceno

AIR DEFENSES READY. The Armed Forces of the Philippines showcases its aerial defense capability as the Air Force’s SPYDER Air Defense System joins the Integrated Air and Missile Defense drill on Tuesday (April 28, 2026) at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in San Antonio, Zambales. The drill underscored how coordinated, ground-to-air defense systems provide a robust defense against increasingly complex aerial threats. (Photo courtesy of the AFP)

MANILA – Filipino and American troops carried out integrated air and defense missile exercises in the ongoing “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Wednesday.

The drill at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in San Antonio, Zambales held on Tuesday underscored how coordinated, ground-to-air defense systems provide robust defense against aerial threats.

During the exercise, Philippine and US forces detected, tracked, and engaged simulated targets through a seamless sensor-to-shooter process.

“Early warning data from radar systems were analyzed and relayed to tactical units, enabling rapid engagement using the Philippine Air Force SPYDER Air Defense System alongside US assets such as the U.S. Army’s Avenger and the US Marine Corps’ Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS),” the Combined Joint Information Bureau “Balikatan” said in a statement.

The integration of counter-unmanned aerial systems technologies further enhanced the capability of the participants to counter aerial threats.

This year’s “Balikatan” started on April 20 and will end on May 8.

Around 17,000 troops from the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France and New Zealand are taking part in the drills.

The exercise was observed by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, reflecting a shared commitment among like-minded nations to regional stability and collective security. (PNA)