By Christine Fabro
About 17,600 Filipino and American troops are expected to participate in this year’s “Balikatan” exercises from April 11 to 28, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
In an interview on Tuesday, March 14, AFP Joint and Combined Training Center Director Col. Mike Logico said some 5,000 troops from the AFP, at least 12,000 from the United States military, and about 111 from the Australian Defence Force will take part in the “biggest Balikatan.”
He added that Japan will be deploying observers from the Japan Self Defense Force.
Logico said among the exercises are simulation of attacks on cyber systems, special operations, and smaller land-based exercises.
He said it has always been an “interoperability exercise to test our concepts for maritime defense, for coastal defense, and maritime domain awareness.”
Prior to this, Balikatan 2015 logged the largest number of participants with 5,000 Filipino troops and 6,500 US troops. -ag
