The Armed Forces of the Philippines announced that on August 27, a large-scale naval exercise was concluded east of Bajo de Masinloc, in cooperation with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy. Taking place amid rising tensions in the region, the drills focused on air defense and formation maneuvers, underscoring growing military cooperation and interoperability among the three nations.
Participating surface combatants included the Philippine Navy’s BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Brisbane (DDG41), and the Royal Canadian Navy’s HMCS Ville de Québec (FFH332). The ships carried out coordinated air defense drills against simulated aerial threats, supported by fighter jets and combat helicopters, demonstrating joint readiness for high-intensity operations.
The broader framework, known as Exercise ALON 2025, ran from August 15 to 29 and involved over 3,600 personnel. It incorporated amphibious landings, live-fire exercises, special forces operations, anti-submarine warfare training, and night formation steaming. Hosted by the Philippines, it marked one of the most comprehensive multinational maritime drills ever held in the country.
Strategically, the location of the drills near the contested Scarborough Shoal highlights Manila’s determination to assert its presence with allied support. The exercise sent a deterrent signal to Beijing while showing that the Philippines is expanding defense partnerships beyond the United States, aligning more closely with countries like Australia and Canada.
In conclusion, Exercise ALON 2025 demonstrated Manila’s capacity to organize and lead complex multinational operations in disputed waters, while reaffirming the principle of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
