Marine Aviation Support Activity 2024: The U.S.-Philippine team reaches new heights

MANILA, PHILIPPINES

06.22.2024

Story by 1st Lt. John Fischer 

I Marine Expeditionary Force

FORT BONIFACIO, MANILA, Philippines – Elements of the I and III Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEF) concluded the three weeks of the latest iteration of Marine Aviation Support Activity bilateral training with the Armed Forces of the Philippines on June 21, 2024. Training encompassed air, sea, and land domains from Palawan to Batan, rehearsing emerging aviation concepts across the Philippine archipelago.

Rooted in the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951, the Visiting Forces Agreement of 1998, and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement of 2014 between the U.S. and the Philippines, the two allied nations remain committed to working together to advance regional security and stability, and enhance collective military readiness. After the successful execution of exercises Balikatan 24 and Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum (ACDC), the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) continued in their role as the command element for “I MEF Forward,” with Brig. General Robert Brodie, commanding general of I MEF Forward, and elements of Marine Air Group (MAG) 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), joined the aircraft and exercise control effort at Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines. U.S. forces featured joint participation from the U.S. Army’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, as well as U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor aircraft from the 199th Fighter Squadron, 154th Wing. U.S. Marine Corps forces included the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) in Luzon, Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 371, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd MAW at Clark Air Base and Laoag, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214 and Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352, both from 3rd MAW, and finally 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, I MEF Information Group in Palawan and Ilocos Norte, training alongside their Philippine counterparts through realistic and collaborative exchanges.

MASA 24 continued the successes of ACDC and began the final series of summertime bilateral training opportunities in the Philippines. Where ACDC stressed the maritime coastal defense capabilities of the Philippine and U.S. Marine teams, MASA pushed the envelope in aviation-related support and defense capabilities in austere and forward-deployed environments. Specifically, Philippine and U.S. forces partnered for a variety of subject matter expertise exchanges (SMEE) across different military activities, including integrated air missile defense, communication, martial arts, close air support, explosive ordnance disposal, engineering operations, health services, and more.

“MASA is basically designed to enhance capabilities, develop interoperability, and enhance cooperation, whereby the primary focus is the use of aviation assets to support Marine-Air-Ground operations,” said Brig. Gen. Romeo T. Racadio, exercise director for MASA 24 and Deputy Commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps. Brodie added another perspective to this point, explaining, “MASA is a magnificent opportunity for us to bring our aviation assets to provide mobility, reconnaissance, and the ability to get into areas that we normally can’t see into.”

To the north of the I MEF Forward command element in the Angeles area of Zambales, U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 371 trained with Airmen from the Philippine Air Force to provide Forward Arming and Refueling for aircraft involved in the exercise. These mobile FARPs provide key logistical support for aircraft in remote environments with little infrastructure required, effectively enabling combined U.S.-Philippine forces to support aircraft in previously inaccessible locations. In addition to FARP operations, Philippine Airmen and MWSS 371 personnel conducted bilateral engineering operations to improve the ability of Philippine military forces to build airfields, refueling points, and other infrastructure to support combined Philippine-U.S. military operations.

In Manila, Philippine Navy Corpsmen and U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Air Group 13 and I MEF Forward continued exchanges on best medical practices, tactical combat casualty care (TCCC), and Valkyrie whole fresh blood transfusions to train U.S.-Philippine forces on how to best provide treatment and care for injured personnel in high-stress and conflict-based scenarios. Both teams conducted real blood transfusions on U.S. Marines to demonstrate key tactical casualty care procedures and provide realistic training. To enhance the realism of the training even further, U.S. and Philippine Marines ran TCCC relays where timed tactical medical care for simulated casualties was performed. The practical application portion was supplemented throughout MASA 24 with classroom-based instruction from both sides.

While training blazed through the Philippine nights, both U.S. and Philippine militaries paused to share in personal, cultural, and social exchanges. One such occasion included a first-ever U.S.-Philippine women’s leadership symposium, where accomplished military enlisted women and officers from both countries shared their personal experiences in the military and their keys to success in their occupations. The symposium served as a pivotal platform for exchanging ideas, best practices, and strategies to enhance female leadership roles in the military. During many of the exchanges, both sides shared food and drink, including traditional Philippine “Boodle Fights” to celebrate the conclusion of many training events within the exercise.

“The relationships are the critical part. What we’ve talked about is that it is more than a partnership, but it’s a friendship, and friendships come with common understanding. They come with respect. The more we operate together, the more we learn from each other, the more we can focus on our common goals,” said Brodie.

As the premier event for MASA 24, planning for a littoral live-fire exercise (LLFX) served as the backdrop to all training. The LLFX tested the combined U.S.-Philippine capability to synchronize multiple aviation and ground-based assets to conduct controlled strikes in Philippine territorial waters to simulate a coastal defense scenario against an adversary. From the Philippine and U.S. exercise directors giving the final approval for the release of live munitions, to the aviation maintenance and ordnance personnel preparing aircraft on the ground, the success of the littoral live-fire exercise required meticulous bilateral planning and attention to detail at all echelons of command. Food packs were distributed to local fishermen to ensure their quality of life was maintained as areas normally fished were closed to facilitate training. Notices to Mariners and Airmen (NOTAMs) were issued to all vessels and aircraft to close off each impact area from the public, and Philippine Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force personnel enforced “no-entry zones” prior to and during the LLFX. In total, three 105mm Howitzer artillery pieces from the 4th Marine Brigade, Philippine Marine Corps, and four U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with VMFA 214 used live ordnance during the event on targets crafted by local Philippine contractors and made to simulate vessels. The F-35Bs struck their targets with precision, landing all seven, 500-pound GBU-32 laser-guided bombs on ocean targets three nautical miles off the coast of Zambales. The entire operation was supported by Philippine unmanned aerial reconnaissance assets, providing critical visual information to the commanders controlling the exercise. The LLFX demonstrated that no matter the distance, personnel, or terrain involved, U.S. and Philippine forces can produce accurate and lethal effects.

“I’ve been in the Marine Corps for 30 years; this is the very first exercise that I have ever participated in where I’ve been able to stand alongside my partner and have a conversation about how we’re going to bring our forces to bear to conduct, in this particular case, strikes at sea and in the maritime domain,” said Brodie.

In the north, the 3rd MLR conducted various SMEE exchanges and Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations (MKTSO) to train Philippine and U.S. Marines in simulated “island-hopping” operations, seizing and securing key terrain to allow friendly forces to flow in. MASA showcases a whole Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) concept, with joint support from the U.S. Army and Air Force, and combined support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, providing maximum combat power to any clime and place. In conjunction with military training and accomplishments, the 3rd MLR regularly gave back to the community, participating in events with local schools and local residents. One such occasion included a bilateral static display, where Marines from the 3rd Littoral Combat Team and 4th MDBE set up Marine equipment and vehicles for the community to explore. This offered a chance for local Philippine citizens in Luzon to engage with U.S.-Philippine forces and gain a glimpse into their world, creating a shared connection and common understanding.

“Fostering the support of the community is very important. In our [Philippine] constitution, it says the armed forces must protect our people,” Racadio commented when asked about the community aspect of the exercise. Racadio further emphasized, “The importance for our people [Philippine citizens] to understand what we are doing. They need to know that what we are doing in this exercise is for their protection; it is for the protection of the Philippines.”

Through the elaborate execution of a live-fire maritime strike to the personal exchanges between each U.S. and Philippine service member, Marine Aviation Support Activity 2024 exemplified the enduring partnership and collaboration between the United States Marine Corps and the Philippine Marine Corps. By enhancing interoperability and refining joint operational capabilities, the exercise underscored both nations' commitment to regional stability and security. The successful execution of MASA 2024 not only strengthened military readiness but also fostered deeper mutual respect and understanding, paving the way for future cooperative endeavors in the Indo-Pacific region.

“For over 70 years, our alliance has held firm, and we both have things to offer. When we bring both those things together, quite frankly, it’s unstoppable. It is founded in our focus on freedom,” said Brodie. Racadio echoed the same sentiment, saying, “What we’re doing right now is connected to our shared goals in order for us to maintain the stability of the region. We really need to help each other because we have shared values, we have shared culture, and we are determined in our commitment to make this region a stable one.”

• Date Taken: 06.22.2024
• Date Posted: 06.22.2024 09:52
• Story ID: 474597
• Location: MANILA, PH