PH, Australia, Canada stage air defense drills off Panatag

This photo, taken on February 15, 2024, shows an aerial view of Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP)

MANIL, Philippines — A Australia, Canada, and the Philippines deployed three warships and aircraft on Wednesday for drills against simulated aerial threats off Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, where Chinese forces have used risky maneuvers to try to drive away Manila’s aircraft and ships.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the naval drills east of the shoal were concluded safely, and it did not mention any encounter with Chinese coast guard, navy, and suspected militia ships, which have been closely guarding the uninhabited fishing atoll off the northwestern Philippines for years.

Coordinated maneuvers

Sailing from El Nido, Palawan, the Royal Australian Navy’s guided-missile destroyer HMAS Brisbane, the Royal Canadian Navy’s frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec and the Philippine Navy’s guided-missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal conducted exercises east of Panatag, including the “air defense exercise that honed the participants’ capability to counter simulated aerial threats through coordinated defensive maneuvers,” the AFP said in a statement.

The naval drills are part of a series of joint activities under ALON 2025, which involves Philippine, US, Australian and Canadian forces operating across land, air, and maritime domains.

These were the final activities of the largest military exercises Australia has staged with the Philippines, which involved more than 3,600 military personnel for 15 days of live-fire and battle maneuvers that ended on Aug. 29.

“The joint exercise strengthens our capacity to operate seamlessly with our partners while reinforcing our shared commitment to peace and stability in the region,” Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP Public Affairs chief, said in a statement on Thursday. —AP WITH GABRYELLE DUMALAG