PH Navy to flex anti-ship missiles in next ‘Balikatan’

The Philippine Navy showcases its new capabilities off Zambales on May 2023. / MALACANANG

MANILA, Philippines —The Philippine Navy will fire its newest missiles in the West Philippine Sea as part of the upcoming large-scale “Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder)” joint exercises with the United States and other allied countries, to hone their combined capabilities amid flaring tension in those waters.

Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta told reporters on Tuesday that the C-Star surface-to-surface anti-ship missiles, Spike NLOS (nonline of sight) missiles, and Mistral surface-to-air missiles will be employed as part of a “maritime strike component.”

READ: ‘Full scale’ Balikatan 2025 will also see biggest troop deployment ever

“Our involvement in the combined exercise is instrumental in strengthening interoperability, enhancing our collective response to regional security challenges, and ensuring that we remain ready to confront emerging threats,” he said.

New PH ship

In a show of allied firepower, Mistral surface-to-air missiles from French-based arms manufacturer MBDA will be launched for the first time from Navy ships as part of integrated air and missile defense live-fire exercises with the United States while Australia, Japan, and the UK may join as observers, the Inquirer learned.

The Philippine Navy will also take part in a “joint maritime strike” of decommissioned World War II-era Navy ship BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) with other services and allied forces using South Korea’s LIG Nex 1 C-Star surface-to-surface missiles in a separate event. South Korea is expected to deliver to the Philippines a new ship with the same name next month.

The country’s most modern Navy ships, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), are the only ones armed with Mistral and C-Star missiles.

The Philippine Navy will also conduct a live fire of its Israeli-made Rafael Advanced Defense System Spike NLOS missiles aboard its Acero-class fast attack interdiction craft on April 21 off Mariveles, Bataan.

Other exercises for the Balikatan have yet to be announced. For this year, the largest military drills between the Philippines and the United States will take place from mid-April to early May against the backdrop of China’s increasing aggression in the West Philippine Sea and near Taiwan.

Several other countries, including Australia and Japan, have also taken part in the military exercises in previous years either as direct participants or observers.