Multinational Forces Validate Defensive Readiness During Exercise Balikatan 2026

Over 500 service members from the United States, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand successfully coordinated fires from land and air to defeat a simulated adversary attack as part of Exercise Balikatan 2026, April 27. 

During the counter-landing live-fire training, forces demonstrated their ability to sense the actions of a dynamic notional enemy, make collective decisions in real time and coordinate an array of fire from missile systems, fighter aircraft, mortars and machine guns. They combined advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities with lethal firepower through a multidomain, combined command and control node to think, decide and act as one team. 

“We can talk about all the capabilities we have, but the integration of those capabilities is the cornerstone of how this is done right,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. G. J. Flynn III, commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin. “The friendships that we made being in the dirt in defensive positions alongside each other, that is what really matters about this event.”   

This training marked the first time these four nations conducted a counter-landing live-fire event during Exercise Balikatan. Participants included U.S. Marines assigned to the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, U.S. soldiers assigned to the 7th Infantry Division/Multi-Domain Command-Pacific, Philippine marines assigned to the 3rd Marine Brigade and elements of the Philippine Air Force and Philippine Army. They were joined by soldiers assigned to the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and for the first time, soldiers assigned to the 2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. 

“Beach defense is not the responsibility of a single unit or domain; it requires seamless integration across services and with our allies,” said Philippine Marine Corps Col. Dennis Hernandez, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson for Balikatan 2026. “Exercises like this ensure that we are prepared to protect our coastal communities and territorial integrity with precision, speed and overwhelming coordination.” 

The training began with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets detecting a mock enemy amphibious vessel and providing intelligence to the C2 node for decision-making. As the vessel approached the coast, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems engaged targets from their position at the beachhead. 

As enemy assault amphibious vehicles and fast boats raced toward the beach in the training scenario, targets were met with fire from mortars, Stingers and anti-armor systems like the Javelin and tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missiles.    

The event culminated with a final defensive line of direct-fire weapons from all participating nations engaging the last wave of targets, neutralizing the threat and successfully defending the beachhead. 

“We participated in Exercise Balikatan to strengthen interoperability with partner nations and our ally, Australia,” said New Zealand Army Capt. Will Hutchinson, acting second-in-command of Combat Team Jackal. “The soldiers got a lot from working with a combined force and it’s something we’re looking to continue in the future.” 

The counter-landing live-fire exercise and other military training events conducted during Balikatan 2026 built tactical proficiency, compatible capabilities and military-to-military coordination, exemplifying the “shoulder-to-shoulder” spirit of the exercise. 

“It’s fitting that Balikatan in Tagalog means shoulder-to-shoulder. The counter-landing live fire showcases sophisticated capabilities and down at a low level, the soldier-to-soldier partnership with the Philippines Armed Forces,” said Australian Army Lt. Col. Benjamin Woolmer, commanding officer of the 5th/7th Battalion, RAR. “Being able to share lessons with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and work shoulder-to-shoulder is a great end in itself.”