EIGHTY naval commandos from the Philippines and United States ended on Monday two weeks of joint exercises at Naval Station Sangley Point in Cavite City.
Dubbed “Flash Point 16-1,” the exercise quietly started Jan. 18 and involved maritime interdiction operations, like vessel boarding and seizures, in addition to medical evacuations and human rights training.
“The activity [was] a great training opportunity for both nations to gain significant experience and strengthen our interoperability,” said Capt. Alfonspin Tumanda Jr., commander of the Philippine Naval Special Operations Group.
“Enhancing capability through this kind of exercise enables the Philippine Navy to assert more efficiency and effectiveness in the conduct of our mandated tasks,” he added.
The US Seals, on the other hand, said the American servicemen not only strengthened interoperability, but also improved cohesiveness of both forces.
“We do Flash Piston exercise to build camaraderie with our counterparts here in the Philippines and to build capacity between ourselves and the NAVSOG. By working together, we exchange our tactics, techniques and procedures,” said Lt. Lowell Bruhn, who lead the Naval Special Warfare Unit 1 that joined the exercises.
According to Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna, the Philippines and the US have been holding the Flash Piston exercise since 2008.
“To maximize the learning opportunity, more than 60 sailors from the PN participated in the exercise and 20 personnel from the US side,” Lincuna said.
During the first week of the exercise, participants from both nations exchanged their best practices on different topics on medical evacuation procedures, combat military marksmanship, and human rights training during a series of military seminars ashore, he said.
The second week focused on maritime interdiction operation activities, like Visit Board Search and Seizure and Gas/Oil Platform operations and planning.
Joint naval exercises between the Philippines and US is just one of the many exercises that would be conducted under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement that allows US forces and war equipment to be stationed in the country.
The government sees Edca as a deterrent against China’s aggression in the West Philippines Sea where it has been reclaiming reefs.