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US, Philippines, Japan Conduct Balikatan 2026 Joint DrillsUS, Philippines, Japan Conduct Balikatan 2026 Joint Drills

5/3/2026

Summary

**US Allies Drill**

The United States, the Philippines and Japan held joint Exercise Balikatan 2026 drills in the Philippines.
U.S. Soldiers of the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery loaded water and meals on April 25, 2026, in Palawan.
An AN/TWQ-1 Avenger from Echo Battery fired a missile on April 27, 2026, at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqu.
1st Lt. Urano Kazuia briefed on the exercise on April 26, 2026, in Laoag City.

Summary

Japan Joins Drill

The 2026 Balikatan drill saw Japan’s Self-Defense Forces join U.S. and Philippine forces in the first counter-UAS live-fire exercise.
Lt. Col. Kenneth Collins said VAMPIRE launches four 70 mm rockets with proximity fuzes while FS-LIDS uses an infrared camera to sense, track and disable unmanned aircraft.
The 7th Infantry Division/Multi-Domain Command-Pacific acted as theater-enabling command delivering solutions that, per Capt. Melanie Rigoni, project a force to deter aggression and maintain stability.

History

Historical Context

After the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement enabled joint training, the Balikatan drills grew from a bilateral U.S.–Philippines exercise into a multilateral event; Australia joined annually in 2014 and the 2023 edition involved more than 17,600 troops. Beginning on 20 April 2026, Japan and Canada also participated, signaling a broader regional deterrence posture.

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**US Allies Drill**

The United States, the Philippines and Japan held joint Exercise Balikatan 2026 drills in the Philippines.
U.S. Soldiers of the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery loaded water and meals on April 25, 2026, in Palawan.
An AN/TWQ-1 Avenger from Echo Battery fired a missile on April 27, 2026, at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqu.
1st Lt. Urano Kazuia briefed on the exercise on April 26, 2026, in Laoag City.

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