PH, US aircraft conduct exercise over WPS

FLIGHT FORMATION. Two Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50 fighter aircraft in flight formation with two US PACAF B-1 aircraft during the joint air patrols and air intercept training over the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday (Feb. 4, 2025). PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said the exercise is part of the usual training under the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board. (Photo: Philippine Air Force/Facebook)

MANILA – Three FA-50PH jet fighter aircraft from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and two B-1 “Lancer” supersonic variable-sweep heavy bombers from the US Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) will engage in a series of exercises over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Tuesday.

“Today, Feb. 4, 2025, the PAF and the US Pacific Air Forces or PACAF will conduct a bilateral air patrol, air intercept training and photo exercise over the WPS. This exercise is a crucial step in enhancing our interoperability, improving air domain awareness and agile combat employment and supporting our shared bilateral air objectives,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said in a press briefing.

She added that the participating Filipino and American aircraft will rendezvous off the “west coast of the Philippines.”

Castillo did not disclose the specific location and time of the event for security reasons.

“It’s actually happening today at this point. They’re already preparing for flight and it will happen by this noon until the afternoon,” she added.

Castillo said the drills are taking place in the “Intensive Military Training Area” (IMTA) that is often used by the PAF and its allies for training and will include Bajo de Masinloc.

“Bajo de Masinloc will be within the general area because if this is Bajo de Masinloc, they will be flying in the WPS within the IMTA. So from our mainland they will do a rendezvous because the bomber aircraft won’t be landing here in the Philippines. They will be coming from a different place and then they’re going to rendezvous, and then they’re going to fly within the IMTA and within that is Bajo de Masinloc which is part of our territory,” she added.

The PAF spokesperson said all these activities are taking place within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“This cooperative effort falls under the framework of the Mutual Defense Board Security-Engagement Board activities between the Philippines and the United States, specifically addressing bilateral air activities and joint air patrols,” Castillo said.

She noted that the exercise has no relation to recent tensions in the area.

“This is just part of the usual training we have under the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board lined up trainings or activities for the year,” Castillo said.

In a later message, she said no Chinese aircraft nor radio challenges coming from them were detected or monitored as the exercise took place.

Meanwhile, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office, said the AFP is confident of continued alliance with the US under the leadership of President Donald Trump.

“We have had very strong relationships with the US ever since. Our people to people, our military to military activities are strong. They have been established over a long period of time. We expect them to remain that way,” he said in a statement.