00:00In a show of military strength, the Philippine and U.S. armies recently fired a series of missiles from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, during a live fire exercise in Canantong Fire Base in Nueva Ecija.
00:16This is part of the ongoing 2025 Salaknib exercises aimed at deepening defense partnerships and enhancing readiness in the Indo-Pacific region.
00:26Patrick DeJesus tells us more.
00:30Successive missiles were launched from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, of the U.S. Army during a live fire exercise held at the Canantong Fire Base in Nueva Ecija.
00:48This is part of the ongoing 2025 Salaknib exercises between troops from the Philippine Army and the U.S. Army Pacific.
00:57The target was more than 10 kilometers away, and 21 rockets were launched.
01:02We're strengthening the partnership with the Philippine Artillery Regiment and the First Multidomain and 5.3FA for future exercises, which is further establishing deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.
01:14HIMARS is one of the most modern weapon systems of the U.S. military.
01:19It was first included in the 2023 Salaknib exercises, and several Filipino troops have since been trained on its use.
01:27What we're seeing right now from the artillery regiment from the Philippine Army is that they're absolutely ready to use the HIMARS system.
01:34They are going to continue training with us, and we're excited about where it could go.
01:38Meanwhile, the armed forces of the Philippines is now implementing the one-theater military concept in the Indo-Pacific region.
01:47This was first proposed by Japan, a move supported by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
01:52as Japan, like the Philippines, is also an archipelagic country facing similar threats in the East China Sea and West Philippine Sea.
02:01That will involve synergy in operations, synergy in domain awareness, in intelligence exchange, and in mutually reinforcing our strengths to work doubly real-time.
02:18It is already an operating concept. It does not need any other agreement.
02:25Under the one-theater concept, a combined coordinating center is expected to be finalized by December.
02:33The reciprocal access agreement between the Philippines and Japan will also support this initiative,
02:39further enhancing military interoperability between the two nations.
02:43Patrick De Jesus from the National TV for a New and Better Philippines.
