Troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces are currently conducting a Cyber Defense Exercise (CYDEX) at Western Command and other areas in the Philippines as part of the ongoing Exercise Balikatan 40-2025 (BK 40-2025).
CYDEX, which is a key component of BK 40-2025, is designed to strengthen mutual cyber defense capabilities and enhance interoperability in responding to evolving digital challenges.
In the activity, participants conduct simulations of scenarios where they share best practices and develop strategies to respond to threats and defend critical information technology infrastructure.
Defensive Cyberspace Warfare Officer 1st Lt. Jared Haynie of the Marine Rotational Force based in Darwin, Australia, explained that in the exercise, participants try to respond to a simulated threat that affects the cyberspace network and prevent damages.
“What they are doing is a simulated activity to affect the network of a simulated industrial systems. Our sector in that network is an airbase so we have some systems at work defending,” Haynie said.
1st Marine Expeditionary Force Defensive Cyberspace Operations Platoon Sergeant GySgt Gary Kern added that the exercise is trying to simulate the cyberspace effects that can occur in real life.
While most people understand the casualties of war among others, “cyberspace are a little bit more difficult to comprehend.”
“Some of the effects that we can see from cyberspace are disconnection of common operating pictures, things that display troops accros the theater, power, industrial control systems – power plants, water treatment facilities, telecommunication facilities,” Kern stated.
“Our role there is to defend those assets, make sure the continuation of power, clean water and communication. By defending those critical assets in a simulated environment, we’re able to ensure that those simulated effects are secure,” he added.
Meanwhile, Wescom Assistant Chief of Staff for Communications, Electronics and Information System Col. Renato Capili explained that CYDEX is a big boost to the capabilities of the command, especially in the command and control system and the industrial control system.
“With the integration of this CYDEX operation into our actual exercises, we will be able to identify some tactical concepts, techniques and procedures na nakukuha natin sa ating counterparts,” Capili noted.
“Marami kaming natutunan in the past few days like cyber defense range familiarization and understanding the mission planning, briefing and execution, and until we learn lessons in the world of complex environment especially in the information technology,” he said.
He also stated that for future activities, they expect to learn more where they can “build upon the broader objective of the goals of educating both nations’ cyber defense policy aligned with our national cyber defense concept and planning.”
The AFP said cybersecurity is a vital aspect of modern military operations, where through CYDEX, the importance of collaborative training in addressing cyber challenges is emphasized—enhancing technical capabilities and strengthening trust and coordination with allied nations.
