Ni Francis T. Wakefield
Sinabi kahapon ni Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana na ang ika- 34 na Balikatan (BK) 2018 joint military exercises ng Pilipinas at United States ay naglalayong palawakin ang relasyon sa depensa ng dalawang bansa at palakasin pa ang interoperability.
Ito ang ipinahayag ni Lorenzana sa opisyal na pagsisimula ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at United States Armed Forces ng taunang Balikatan Exercises sa opening ceremony na ginanap sa AFP Commissioned Officers Club sa Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“This 34th iteration of the biggest annual bilateral exercise between the Philippines and US aims not only to broaden the defense relationships between our two countries but primarily to have our increased and effective interoperability as this year’s exercise theme suggests Interoperability is an enabler for nation building,” sinabi ni Lorenzana sa kanyang talumpati.
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Sinabi naman ni US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Y. Kim na ang special bilateral event na ito ay mas naging makahulugan sa pagsali ng malapit na kaalyado ng US at Pilipinas – ang Japan at Australia.
Nagpahayag din siya ng pag-asa na magkakaroon ng mas malawak na multilateral dimensions sa mga susunod pang Balikatan exercises, na magtutuon hindi lamang sa humanitarian assistance at disaster relief, na napakahalaga sa Pilipinas, kundi maisama rin ang pagsasanay na natukoy sa post-Marawi action reports gaya ng military operation sa urban terrain.
“Marawi showed that we need to work together to overcome the complex
challenges we face in today’s world. That includes international terror networks as well as natural threats,” aniya.
Tinatayang 8,000 tropa ng AFP at ng United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) ang kasali sa BK18. Opisyal itong magtatapos sa Mayo 18, 2018.
Ayon kay AFP Northern Luzon Command (NoLCom) chief Lt. Gen. Emmanuel B Salamat, 5,000 sundalo, marines, airmen, at mula sa AFP ang kasali, at tinatayang 3,000 mula sa US forces na binubuo ng U.S. Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, at Special Operations Forces. Magkakaroon din ng tauhan ang Australian Defense Force at Japan Self-Defense Force na sasali sa exercises.
“Our nations expect us to be ready when they need us the most. So whether that threat is man-made or natural, we must be ready. That is the great essence of Balikatan,” ani Lt. Gen. Lawrence D. Nicholson, ang US exercise director.
Sasabak sa BK18 ang mga barko ng AFP na BRP Ramon Alcaraz at BRP Davao Del Sur, gayundin ang attack and at utility aircrafts kabilang na ang SF260, MG520, FA50, Sokol Choppers, at C130. Gagamitin din sa exercise ang Armored Personnel Carriers gaya ng M113 at ARV ng Army.
Isasabak naman ng U.S. Armed Forces ang iba’t ibang air, marine, army, at naval assets. Kabilang sa mga ito ang C-130H Hercules, C-17 Globemaster III, MV-22B Ospreys, at USNS Sacagawea.
