US, Philippine Army begin ‘Salaknib’ drills
Army Vice Commander Maj. Gen. Leodevic B. Guinid and HPA staff officers pose in a photo with their US Army counterparts led by 25th ID Deputy Commander USARPAC Brig. Gen. Jonathan A Velishka during the opening ceremonry of SABAK 2025 on March 24, 2025. Photo from the Philippine Army.
By: Manuel Mogato | Published: April 2, 2025
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Fort Magsaysay, Nueve Ecija – More than 2,000 US Army soldiers joined some 3,000 Philippine Army troops in the two to three weeks of “Salaknib” drills in late March in a jungle base in central Luzon.
This year’s Salaknib would be larger in terms of participating troops. Last year’s exercise involved some 1,800 Filipino and 1,700 US troops.
Colonel Louie Dema-ala, an Army spokesman, said Army-to-Army field training exercises were designed to improve the two allied interoperability on territorial defense operations.
“The exercise, designed as a continuous operation, focuses on enhancing combined/joint all-domain operations, reinforcing warfighting capabilities, and showcasing a strong bilateral commitment to safeguarding the Philippines’ territorial integrity,” Dema-ala said in a statement.
“Further, the exercise will tackle capability enhancement on operational command and control, combined arms force-on-force, large-scale operational maneuvers, combined arms live fire exercise, and sustainment operations in support of external security operations.”
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He said the exercises were held in many sites in northern and central Luzon. Another focus of the drills was on logistics and sustainment, testing how much supplies, food, water, and other essential items would be moved to the front.
Dema-ala said the exercise aimed at “strengthening defense readiness” and providing critical training in humanitarian civil assistance, information operations, counter-intelligence, and protection.
Salaknib drills would be held in two phases. The first will be conducted from March 24 to 11 April 2025 while the second one will be held from May 19 to July 20.
“The Philippine Army continues to develop and enhance its capabilities in partnership with its allies,” said Dema-ala.
Dema-ala said military exercises like Salaknib “further solidify its readiness to respond to evolving threats and uphold its vital role in the nation’s land defense as part of the AFP’s broader mission in external security operations.”
The first phase of the Salaknib exercise will precede the opening of the Balikatan exercise, another large-scale exercise between the two allies’ armed forces.
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