Live-fire exercises will be conducted in Palawan and Ilocos Norte as part of the 41st iteration of the annual Philippines–United States Balikatan Exercises in 2026, military officials said.
Major Al Anthony Pueblas of the Philippine Combined Joint Information Bureau (CJIB) said the Counter-Landing Live Fire Exercise West will be held on April 27 in Aporawan, Palawan.
“The Counter-Landing Live Fire Exercise West, that will be conducted on April 27 in Aporawan, Palawan,” Pueblas said in a briefing.
He added that a separate exercise in Northern Luzon is also scheduled.
“The Counter-Landing Live Fire Exercise North will be conducted in the La Paz Sand Dunes on May 4, 2026. This is one of the distinguished visitors’ events,” he said.
The Balikatan exercises will run from April 20 to May 8 and will involve more than 17,000 troops from the Philippines, the United States, and partner countries including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, and New Zealand.
Other major activities include multinational maritime exercises in Northern Luzon from April 23 to May 1, integrated air and missile defense drills in Subic, Zambales from April 26 to 29, and a joint maritime strike event in Paoay, Ilocos Norte on May 6.
Officials said the exercises may also feature the deployment of new or previously introduced advanced military systems, depending on availability and operational requirements.
US Balikatan spokesperson Col. Robert Bunn said capabilities such as the Tomahawk missile system and NMESIS may be included.
“So the specifics, we will get to you as we get closer to the maritime strike and some of the other events,” Bunn said.
Philippine Balikatan spokesperson Col. Dennis Hernandez said Japan is expected to take a more active role this year, including the planned use of its Type 88 surface-to-ship missile in a live-fire event.
He added that radar systems previously provided by Japan to the Philippines will also be used in air and missile defense and maritime strike operations.
