CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City -- In a significant demonstration of international collaboration, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), together with the armed and defense forces of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and United States, successfully conducted a one-day Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) on September 28, 2024, within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
This latest iteration conducted within the vicinity of the West Philippine Sea under the area of operations of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM), introduced enhanced exercises designed to improve interoperability among participating forces. Notably, New Zealand joined the activity for the first time, adding a new dimension to the collaborative efforts.
Activities included pre-sail briefings, communication exercises (COMMEX), cross-deck exercises, division tactics/officer of the watch (Divtacs/OOW) drills, photographic exercises (PHOTOEX), replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, maritime domain awareness (MDA) exercises, and contact reporting, all designed to refine operational readiness and collaborative capabilities.
This activity involved a range of naval and aerial assets, including the Philippine Navy’s BRP Antonio Luna (FF151), BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35), one AW109 helicopter, and Philippine Air Force Search and Rescue (SAR) assets, alongside the United States’ USS Howard (DDG83) and two helicopters, Australia’s HMAS Sydney (D48), a P-8 Poseidon aircraft, and one helicopter, Japan’s JS Sazanami (DD113), and New Zealand’s HMNZS Aotearoa (A-11).
AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S Brawner Jr emphasized the significance of this joint activity, stating, “This underscores our shared commitments to upholding the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
The conduct of the MCA manifests the AFP's dedication to strengthening partnerships and enhancing collective capabilities with like-minded nations to address emerging maritime security challenges.
