Philippine and U.S. Marines participating as part of Exercise Balikatan 2013. US Marine Corps Photo
Days after Washington and Manila struck a new defense pact to increase U.S. military presence in the Philippines, thousands of American troops are streaming into the southern part of the country for a new round of large-scale military exercises. Read More
U.S. Navy and Philippine military officials during the humanitarian aid and disaster relief operation in Tacloban in 2013. US Navy Photo
Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg signed a historic accord on Monday and signaled a return of American forces to the island nation. Read More
A 1947 map of China’s maritime claims.
The following is from the March, 14 2014 Congressional Research Service report, Maritime Territorial and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Disputes Involving China: Issues for Congress
China’s actions for asserting and defending its maritime territorial and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) claims in the East China (ECS) and South China Sea (SCS), particularly since late 2013, have heightened concerns among observers that ongoing disputes over these waters and some of the islands within them could lead to a crisis or conflict between China and a neighboring country such as Japan, the Philippines, or Vietnam, and that the United States could be drawn into such a crisis or conflict as a result of obligations the United States has under bilateral security treaties with Japan and the Philippines. Read More
Lt. Hiroo Onoda shortly after he was discovered in 1974 after continuing to fight for almost 30 years after the end of World War II.
An Imperial Japanese Army officer who hid on a Philippine island refusing to surrender until 29 years after World War II ended died on Friday at age 91. Read More
Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) sits off the coast of the Philippines in 2012. US Navy Photo
The Navy is activating the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) to the Philippines as part of the ongoing U.S. disaster effort following Super Typhoon Haiyan, according to a Navy statement provided to USNI News. Read More
The amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD-48) gets underway from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in 2012. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy is preparing two amphibious warships to join the disaster relief effort in the Philippines, Navy officials told USNI News on Wednesday.
USS Germantown (LSD-42) and USS Ashland (LSD-48) will shortly depart from Naval Station Sasebo, Japan and will arrive sometime next week. Read More
USS George Washington (CVN-73) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with dry cargo ship USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) on Oct. 14, 2013. US Navy Photo
Aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) two cruisers and a destroyer are en route to the Philippines to aid in disaster relief efforts in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan, Navy officials told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
Chinese officials ‘strongly’ oppose a Monday U.S. Senate action that “condemns the use of coercion, threats, or force by naval, maritime security, or fishing vessels and military or civilian aircraft,” in the South and East China Sea, according to a Thursday report from the Xinhua news agency. Read More
A P-3C Orion. US Navy Photo
A Monday report alleges U.S. Navy P-3C Orion aircraft are flying in support of the Philippines over disputed territory in the South China Sea.
A classified document — seen by the Japanese Kyodo News service — said the surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratley Island chain. Read More
USS Enterprise (CVN-65) at Subic Bay in 1993. US Navy Photo
The Philippines plan to give greater access to U.S. and Japanese allies to military bases including the former U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay, Philippine defense officials said Thursday in a report in Reuters.
The report comes in tandem with reports, the military is preparing a proposal to expand leftover U.S. bases after the Pentagons removed its forces in 1992.
According to the report, Philippine naval leaders are preparing a $230 million plan to base development bases as hedges against increased Chinese expansion into the South China Sea. Read More
