The United States and the Philippines have stepped up cooperation on coastal defence, with U.S. Marines recently working alongside Philippine forces to develop and rehearse maritime strike procedures involving the BrahMos anti-ship missile system.
The training took place during Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum 26.4 at Camp Bojeador in northern Luzon. The exercise focused on how Philippine forces could detect and track maritime targets, develop targeting information and coordinate the information needed for a potential strike by ground-based anti-ship missiles.
During the exercise, Philippine Air Force Hermes unmanned aircraft were incorporated into a simulated maritime targeting scenario. The drones were used to track a notional surface force, while U.S. and Philippine personnel worked through the planning process for a simulated BrahMos engagement. The scenario represented several Chinese naval vessels, including Type 052D guided-missile destroyers, a Type 054A frigate and a Type 901 fast combat support ship.
The exercise was focused on developing the operational link between surveillance and coastal missile units rather than conducting an actual missile launch. The training allowed the two countries’ forces to practise target identification, fire planning and coordination in an environment reflecting the Philippines’ geographically dispersed island territory.
For Manila, the exercise is part of the continuing effort to build an effective coastal defence capability around the BrahMos system. The Philippines became the first foreign operator of the BrahMos missile after signing a contract worth about $375 million with India in 2022. The weapon provides the Philippine military with a high-speed anti-ship strike capability for defending strategically important coastal and maritime areas.
The Philippine Marine Corps has already established a BrahMos facility in western Luzon, an area facing the South China Sea and the contested Scarborough Shoal. Additional facilities and missile detachments are planned for northern Luzon and Palawan, which could expand the geographical coverage of the country’s coastal defence network.
The latest U.S.-Philippine training also reflects the growing importance of combining unmanned surveillance platforms with long-range missile systems. By using drones to locate and monitor maritime activity, Philippine forces can strengthen the information flow required for coastal missile operations while allowing missile units to remain positioned away from the immediate target area.
The exercise comes amid continuing maritime tensions in the South China Sea, where China and the Philippines have overlapping claims and have repeatedly faced confrontations involving their maritime forces. The inclusion of Chinese naval vessel types in the training scenario highlights the relevance of the Philippine coastal defence mission to potential threats in the country’s surrounding waters.
U.S. Marine Rotational Force–Southeast Asia personnel also gained experience working with Philippine units across the country’s distinctive island geography. American officials have emphasised that operating with Philippine forces provides insight into the challenges of mobility, distributed operations and integrating military capabilities across different locations.
The development demonstrates how the U.S.-Philippines defence partnership is increasingly concentrating on practical maritime defence capabilities. For Manila, integrating BrahMos missiles, unmanned surveillance assets and coordinated fire planning could strengthen its ability to monitor and respond to hostile maritime activity. For Washington, the training provides another opportunity to improve interoperability with a key regional ally as both countries expand their focus on coastal and maritime defence in the Indo-Pacific.