In a first, Manila-US drills to sink boat in West Philippine Sea

Photo from 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. - PDI Read more: https://globalnation.inquirer.net/211945/a-balikatan-first-ph-us-drills-to-sink-boat-in-wps#ixzz7vzstpNmc Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): Filipino and American troops will sink a target vessel near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea when the two allies carry out next month their largest joint military exercise to date, a military official told the Inquirer on Tuesday (March 14).

The Philippines and the United States have ramped up defence cooperation under President Marcos in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea and its potential invasion of Taiwan and will put on their biggest exercise in history with the participation of 17,000 troops from both sides. This is nearly twice the 8,900 soldiers who joined last year.