Full Breakdown
U.S.–Philippines–Japan Joint Live-Fire and Technology Integration at Balikatan 2026
5/3/2026, 3:22:13 AM
Integrated Air & Missile Defense Live-Fire Exercise
From 26 – 29 April 2026, U.S. Army air-defense units conducted a combined Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) live-fire at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 51st Air Defense Artillery Regiment (1-51 ADA) and the 6th Battalion, 52nd ADA demonstrated Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) capabilities, including the VAMPIRE palletized rocket system, the Fixed-Site Low, Slow, Small UAS Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS), and an AN/TWQ-1 Avenger firing AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles. Philippine Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force personnel participated, reinforcing interoperability across the three forces.
Multilateral Training and Counter-Landing Operations
Balikatan 2026, running 20 April – 8 May, involved more than 17,000 troops from seven nations. In addition to air-defense drills, the 25th Infantry Division’s 3rd Mobile Brigade coordinated a counter-landing live-fire at the La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag City, and a jungle patrol at Fort Magsaysay where a Kestrel first-person-view (FPV) drone delivered an explosive payload against a simulated bunker. Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Lt. Urano Kazuia and Philippine Army Brig. Gen. Rhenante M. Salvador took part in joint briefings, marking the first year of JGSDF participation in Balikatan.
Key Participants and Platforms
- Lt. Col. Kenneth Collins, commander, 1-51 ADA (U.S. Army) – led C-UAS demonstrations.
- Capt. Melanie Rigoni, commander, Bravo Battery, 1-51 ADA – oversaw joint training with AFP and JGSDF.
- Col. Adisa King, commander, 3rd Mobile Brigade, 25th Infantry Division – highlighted drone utility.
- CW3 Aaron Dunson, Operations Officer, Lightning Labs – directed Kestrel drone development.
- CW2 Kevin Ton, officer, The Forge – managed rapid-manufacture projects.
- Supporting units: 1-51 ADA, 6-52 ADA, 25th Infantry Division Artillery, JGSDF Field Artillery Battalion, AFP 1st Brigade Combat Team, and the 7th Infantry Division/Multi-Domain Command-Pacific.
Timeline of Major Activities
- 20 Apr – Balikatan opens.
- 25 Apr – 5-3 LRFB loads supplies for Palawan counter-landing drill.
- 26 Apr – Joint IAMD live-fire begins; JGSDF briefing on counter-landing roles.
- 27 Apr – Avenger missile fired; VAMPIRE demonstrations continue.
- 28 Apr – 25th ID and AFP commanders meet; live-fire at Laoag City.
- 29 Apr – FS-LIDS and VAMPIRE final tests.
- 1 May – Kestrel drone swarm and 3D-printed parts fielded at Fort Magsaysay.
Data & Capabilities
- VAMPIRE carries four 70 mm laser-guided rockets with proximity fuzes.
- FS-LIDS employs electro-optical/infrared sensors for target identification.
- Kestrel FPV quadcopter measures five inches across; 300 frames printed by The Forge.
- The Forge completed 12 of 36 projects in the first half, saving $23,000 and 96 months of spare-part lead time.
- 25th Infantry Division fielded new M7 rifles and M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicles.
Official Statements & Responses
U.S. Army leaders emphasized that the drills “demonstrate the role of landpower in a joint and combined fight” and provide “decisive, precision-strike capability against small UAS threats.” Capt. Rigoni noted that continuous experimentation “ensures multi-domain formations provide the joint and allied force with cutting-edge protection capabilities.” Col. King said technology “reduces risk a little bit, but it allows you to see farther,” while also highlighting sustainment challenges for massed drone use. Japanese and Philippine officials reiterated the exercises as a “historic milestone” for regional stability and alliance strength.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This exercise demonstrates the role of landpower in a joint and combined fight,” — Lt. Col. Kenneth Collins, U.S. Army
- “This continuous experimentation with FS-LIDS and VAMPIRE demonstrates the unit's ability to successfully identify and defeat evolving threats,” — Capt. Melanie Rigoni, U.S. Army
- “Working with the AFP throughout this exercise demonstrates the ironclad commitment of the U.S. and its Indo-Pacific allies, marking a historic milestone for the first year with JSDF participation,” — Capt. Melanie Rigoni, U.S. Army
- “It reduces risk a little bit, but it allows you to see farther.” — Col. Adisa King, U.S. Army
- “CW2 Kevin Ton, officer in charge of the Forge, said it had saved $23,000 and a cumulative 96 months in waiting time for spare parts in the first week of Balikatan alone.” — CW2 Kevin Ton, The Forge
On-the-Ground Observations
Soldiers at Fort Magsaysay conducted a jungle patrol in 97 °F heat, employing a Kestrel FPV drone to strike a simulated bunker. The patrol reported challenges such as drone overheating, dense foliage limiting line-of-sight, and battery-recharging constraints. Meanwhile, The Forge’s rapid-manufacture cell fabricated replacement bolts for a disabled road grader in six hours, illustrating field-level logistics agility.
Why It Matters
The exercises enhance layered C-UAS defenses, test rapid-manufacture solutions, and deepen interoperability among U.S., Philippine, and Japanese forces—key factors for deterring aggression and maintaining stability in a region marked by heightened Chinese activity.
What’s Next
Balikatan 2027 is slated to expand joint C-UAS and autonomous-system training, with plans to field larger swarms of Kestrel drones and further integrate The Forge’s on-site manufacturing capability across the Indo-Pacific theater.
