The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), together with its counterparts from Japan and the United States, conducted a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea on Friday, December 6.
The 5th MMCA this year featured activities among the military forces of the three nations aimed at strengthening regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Participating units included the Philippine Navy’s BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17) and a C-90 aircraft, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (DD 106), and the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron 47.
The activity featured a range of coordinated operations designed to enhance interoperability and strengthen maritime capabilities, including the conduct of a communications check to ensure seamless coordination, a Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), and a pre-sail conference to align operational objectives. Photo and division tactics exercises were also conducted. These drills emphasized collaborative defense strategies and reinforced the commitment of the participating forces to maintain regional security and stability.
During the pre-sail conference, maritime defense experts gathered aboard JMSDF’s JS Samidare (DD 106) while in Manila to exchange best practices and operational insights, including the alignment of tactics, techniques, and procedures to address shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
The AFP said in a statement that the exercise is also part of continuing collaborative operations to further enhance the interoperability of defense doctrines, tactics, techniques, and procedures among the participating forces.
“Conducted in full compliance with international law, the MMCA emphasized respect for the safety of navigation and the maritime rights of all states,” the statement read.
“The MMCA reaffirms the partner nations’ dedication to working closely together to maintain security and stability in the region, promoting a rules-based maritime order and enhancing regional cooperation,” it added.
