U.S., Philippine and Japanese forces integrate air, missile defense

NAVAL STATION LEOVOGILDO GANTIOQUI, Philippines — U.S., Philippine, and Japanese forces completed a four-day series of Integrated Air and Missile Defense training events during Exercise Balikatan 2026 from April 26–29, honing combined survivability in littoral environments and demonstrating a unified capacity to detect and counter complex aerial threats.

“The synchronization of our joint and combined air defense assets ensures we can maintain a persistent defensive umbrella, even in the most remote littoral environments,” said Col. Gabriel L. Diana, commanding officer of 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment. “By networking Marine, Army, Philippine, and Japanese systems into a single, cohesive defensive network, we are proving that our allied and partner forces can rapidly deploy and protect vital terrain against any complex aerial threat.”

The multilateral events blended kinetic and non-kinetic measures to defeat simulated enemy aerial targets, integrating sensors and shooters from across the participating services. Systems employed included:
– U.S. Marine Corps: Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) and AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR)
– U.S. Army: AN/TWQ-1 Avenger, Vehicle-Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment (VAMPIRE), and Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small UAS Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS)
– Japan Self-Defense Force: Type 11 (Tan-SAM Kai II)
– Philippine Air Force: Surface-to-Air Python and Derby (SPYDER)

“This exercise demonstrates the role of land power in a joint and combined fight,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kenneth Collins, commander of 1st Battalion, 51st Air Defense Artillery Regiment. “By bringing rapid, palletized capabilities like VAMPIRE to the shorelines, we provide a decisive, precision-strike capability against small UAS threats, filling a vital role in the air defense network.”

Participating U.S. Marine Corps units included Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, and 12th LAAB, operating alongside U.S. Army elements from 1-51 and 6-52 ADA. The joint team integrated with counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including the Philippine Air Force’s 960th Air and Missile Defense Wing and the Philippine Army’s 1st Air Defense Artillery. Philippine Navy frigates BRP Antonio Luna (FFG 15) and BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG 6) joined through simulated air defense engagements to extend the network into the maritime domain.

Expanding the multilateral scope, elements of the Japan Self-Defense Forces deployed the Type 11 to bolster short-range air defense alongside U.S. and Philippine assets.

“Integrating the 960th Air and Missile Defense Wing, the 1st Air Defense Artillery, and our Navy ships alongside U.S. and Japanese units allows us to build a truly unified tactical picture,” said Philippine Marine Corps Col. Dennis Hernandez, BK26 AFP spokesperson. “By sharing sensor data and coordinating our engagements across different platforms, we have proven that our multilateral air defense network is stronger, faster, and more resilient than ever before.”

Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military that underscores the strength of their alliance, enhances combined capabilities, and highlights a shared commitment to regional peace and prosperity.