SAN VICENTE, PALAWAN – Forces from the Philippines and Australia staged a large-scale military drill Sunday, simulating the retaking of an enemy-held island off the quiet coastal town that faces the contested South China sea.
Colored smoke from grenades filled the horizon as troops aboard small assault boats stormed the beach, reenacting an operation to reclaim an island seized by a fictional adversary. Overhead, the Royal Australian Air Force’s EA-18G Growler and the Philippine air Force’s FA-50 jets roared past, delivering close air support.Nearby, at a local airfield, Filipino and American troops were inserted from US Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys and Philippine air Force Black Hawk helicopters. Their mission: regain control of an airstrip overrun by mock “unfriendly forces.” Armed soldiers sprinted across the runway in coordinated movements to secure the area.
at sea, the Philippine Navy’s BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), Australia’s HMAS Brisbane (DDG41), and Canada’s HMCS Ville de Québec (FFH332) continued their second day of joint sail, reinforcing multilateral naval coordination.
The operations are part of Exercise Alon, a biennial joint military exercise between the Philippines and Australia, running from August 15 to 29.With more than 3,600 personnel involved – including observers from the United States, Canada, and Indonesia – it is the largest iteration of the drills to date.
A major live-fire exercise is scheduled for August 27 at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija in northern Luzon, promising another round of explosive demonstrations of combat readiness.
National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles, AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S Brawner Jr., and Western Command Commander vadm alfonso F Torres Jr. actively engage during the CJFEO, underscoring high-level leadership, support, and unity of purpose. (Photo by SSg Ambay PA / PAOAFP)
“There is a real sense of cooperation that exists betwee## Philippines and Australia Conduct Joint Island Retaking Drills, Dismissing Chinese Criticism
Joint military exercises between the Philippines and Australia, focused on retaking an island, recently concluded, demonstrating growing defense cooperation between the two nations. The drills, which involved a full-scale landing exercise, were conducted despite criticism from China, which views the strengthening ties between Manila and Canberra with suspicion.
### Strengthening Bilateral Defense Ties
The exercises, detailed by [Naval News](https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/08/philippines-australia-train-retaking-island-in-joint-drills/), involved a simulated retaking of an island, utilizing Small Unit Riverine Craft, Patrol Craft, and Combat Rubber Raiding Crafts. This demonstrates a focus on littoral combat capabilities – military operations in and near coastal areas.
Australian Defence minister Richard Marles emphasized the exercises were not provocative, stating, *”this is about building interoperability between two countries that share common values and a commitment to upholding a rules-based order in the region.”* Interoperability refers to the ability of diffrent military organizations to effectively work together.### Dismissing Chinese Criticism
The drills have drawn criticism from Beijing, which has expressed concern over the deepening security ties between the Philippines and Australia. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro jr. dismissed these concerns, asserting, *”we expect criticism, but we will do what we need to do in spite of the criticism. As the criticism, basically, of the PRC is really paranoia and it is indeed a propaganda line.”*
China’s objections stem from its expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, where the Philippines is a claimant state. These claims are contested by several nations and have been invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016, a ruling China dose not recognize.
### Expanding defense Cooperation
These joint drills follow a recent agreement between the Philippines and Australia to begin negotiations for a defense cooperation agreement. This agreement, announced on August 18, 2025, by the [Australian Department of Defence](https://news.defence.gov.au/media/media-releases/philippines-australia-agree-defence-cooperation-agreement-negotiations), will lay the groundwork for increased joint military exercises, enhanced facts sharing, and coordinated responses to regional security challenges. The agreement signifies a deepening commitment to security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.