Philippines sets naval drills with US, Japan

The Philippines is to hold simultaneous naval drills next week with key allies the United States and Japan, the military said yesterday, as Chinese buildup continues on the disputed South China Sea reefs.The annual joint maneuvers with the US, called Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) series, will include a P3-Orion spy plane flight and a helicopter crash and rescue simulation near disputed waters, officials said.

The exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, only the second ever, will be staged separately, but in the same week as the US exercise, Philippine Navy spokesman Commander Lued Lincuna said.The Philippines will deploy BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz while the US will have its littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth.Lincuna could not immediately provide details of the second exercise but the Japanese media, quoting unnamed official sources, said it would be staged in the South China Sea.

The Japanese media also said Japan would field a P3 surveillance aircraft.“The joint training will help capacitate and familiarize our troops with modern equipment. There will be sharing of information, techniques and best practices on the tactical level,” Lincuna said.He said the twin joint maneuvers were not directed against China, which has built artificial islands on South China Sea reefs claimed by the Philippines.“They are regularly planned and scheduled exercises. With Japan, the focus is on search and rescue and disaster relief,” Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said.

Philippine Fleet public affairs officer Lt. Liezel Vidallon added this year’s holding of CARAT in Palawan has nothing to do with the maritime dispute with China.Vidallon added this year’s CARAT will involve helicopter crash and salvage, live fire, deck landing qualification, board and seizure and training on weapons systems.The US joint maneuvers, Lincuna added, would be held near Palawan, though off the eastern coast rather than the South China Sea-facing west.

The Philippines held landmark naval exercises with its World War II foe Japan only last month on the South China Sea, less than 300 kilometers from a Philippine-claimed shoal now under Chinese control.The US is the Philippines’ longest-standing military ally, with the two countries bound by a 64-year-old mutual defense treaty and a separate Visiting Forces Agreement.

An agreement that would allow the US to rotate more troops in Philippine military bases was signed last year, but will not be implemented until the Supreme Court decides on its legality.Earlier this month, President Aquino and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to start negotiations for the transfer of defense equipment, including anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft and radar technology