The Philippine Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps have officially kicked off this year’s Kamandag joint military exercise, with participation from several allied nations.
Major General Arturo Rojas, commandant of the Philippine Marines, announced that around 4,000 personnel will be involved—about 2,000 each from the Philippines and the U.S. Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom are also participating, while countries like the Netherlands, Bahrain, Canada, and New Zealand will act as observers.
A highlight of the drills is the deployment of the NMESIS (Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System), a sophisticated U.S. missile system. It will be used in northern Luzon as part of scenario-based training exercises.
Colonel Jason Armas of the USMC’s Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 emphasized the importance of NMESIS, noting its role in extending operational range and supporting the modernization of the Philippine Armed Forces’ coastal defense.
The Kamandag exercise will include key operations such as:
- CBRN expert exchange
- Senior enlisted leadership symposium
- Maritime and special forces operations
- Live-fire drills
- Maritime strike simulations
- Counter-landing defenses
- Special forces strikes
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster response
Training will conclude on June 6.