The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) carried out the third Philippines–Japan bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the portion of the South China Sea within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on Saturday, November 29.
The AFP deployed the Philippine Navy (PN) Jose Rizal-class guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna, a PN AW159 Wildcat helicopter, and Philippine Air Force C-208B surveillance aircraft. The JMSDF's participation in the MCA consisted of the Murasame-class destroyer JS Harusame and an SH-60K Seahawk helicopter.
Both forces carried out a series of interoperability activities including a division tactics/officer of the watch manoeuvre, where participating ships practiced coordinated movements and station-keeping; and a PHOTOEX, which involved maintaining precise formation for documentation of the activity.
A cross-deck landing exercise was also conducted to familiarise PN and JMSDF helicopter crews and ship personnel with each other’s deck procedures and enhance coordination in aviation operations.
The MCA was conducted a day after an earlier one between the Philippine and French armed forces in the southern portion of the Philippines' Eastern Mindanao region.
