Armed Forces of the Philippines Maj. Gen. Marvin L Licudine, Philippines Exercise Director, and Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm, U.S. Exercise Director representative and Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, furl the exercise flag during the closing ceremony to conclude Exercise Balikatan 24 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, May 10, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio) - Armed Forces of the Philippines Maj. Gen. Marvin L Licudine, Philippines Exercise Director, and Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm, U.S. Exercise Director representative and Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, furl the exercise flag during the closing ceremony to conclude Exercise Balikatan 24 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, May 10, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio)

U.S. Marines with 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, pose alongside soldiers with the Philippine Army for a group photograph at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony at Alannay Elementary School prior to the commencement of Exercise Balikatan 24 in Cagayan, Philippines, March 26, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Trent A. Henry) - U.S. Marines with 9th Engineer Support Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, pose alongside soldiers with the Philippine Army for a group photograph at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony at Alannay Elementary School prior to the commencement of Exercise Balikatan 24 in Cagayan, Philippines, March 26, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Trent A. Henry)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexis Medina, an expeditionary fuel technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, refuels a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as part of forward arming and refueling point operations alongside Philippine Marines, with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10, and U.S. Army soldiers during Balikatan 24 in Basco, Batanes Province, Philippines, April 30, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. The Black Hawk helicopter is with the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jennifer Andrade) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexis Medina, an expeditionary fuel technician with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, refuels a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as part of forward arming and refueling point operations alongside Philippine Marines, with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10, and U.S. Army soldiers during Balikatan 24 in Basco, Batanes Province, Philippines, April 30, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. The Black Hawk helicopter is with the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jennifer Andrade)

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 13th Fighter Wing conduct preflight checks on a F-16 Fighting Falcon before a maritime strike during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Basa Air Base, Philippines May 8, 2024. Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. and Australian military forces integrate land, sea and air platforms to simultaneously sense, target, strike and destroy a decommissioned ship off the western coast of Northern Luzon. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - U.S. Airmen assigned to the 13th Fighter Wing conduct preflight checks on a F-16 Fighting Falcon before a maritime strike during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Basa Air Base, Philippines May 8, 2024. Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. and Australian military forces integrate land, sea and air platforms to simultaneously sense, target, strike and destroy a decommissioned ship off the western coast of Northern Luzon. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

A Philippine Marine conducts a rehearsal with a M101 105mm Howitzer prior to a live-fire training event during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Luzon, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - A Philippine Marine conducts a rehearsal with a M101 105mm Howitzer prior to a live-fire training event during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Luzon, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, fire Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles as part of a counter landing live-fire exercise during Balikatan 24 at La Paz Sand Dunes, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Eric Huynh) - U.S. Marines with 3rd Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, fire Javelin shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles as part of a counter landing live-fire exercise during Balikatan 24 at La Paz Sand Dunes, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Eric Huynh)

A U.S. Marine Corps amphibious combat vehicle attached to Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, splashes off the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during Exercise Balikatan 24 in Naval Detachment Oyster Bay, Palawan, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle) - A U.S. Marine Corps amphibious combat vehicle attached to Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, splashes off the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during Exercise Balikatan 24 in Naval Detachment Oyster Bay, Palawan, Philippines, May 4, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Peyton Kahle)

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 3rd Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Long Range Fires Battalion, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force fire an M142 High Mobility Rocket System during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 3rd Platoon, Alpha Battery, 1st Long Range Fires Battalion, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force fire an M142 High Mobility Rocket System during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Rizal, Philippines, May 2, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla-Taborlupa, speaks on the topic of civil affairs’ role in national defense matters during a Civil-Military Operations subject matter expert exchange as part of Exercise Balikatan 24 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 29, 2024. AFP and U.S. CMO specialists joined together to share the best civil affairs practices and their experiences when military forces were called to support civilian populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and refugee crises. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio) - Armed Forces of the Philippines Spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla-Taborlupa, speaks on the topic of civil affairs’ role in national defense matters during a Civil-Military Operations subject matter expert exchange as part of Exercise Balikatan 24 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 29, 2024. AFP and U.S. CMO specialists joined together to share the best civil affairs practices and their experiences when military forces were called to support civilian populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and refugee crises. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, a force engineer with I Marine Expeditionary Force, poses for a photograph at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony at Alannay Elementary School prior to the commencement of Exercise Balikatan 24 in Cagayan, Philippines, March 26, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Barrion is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Trent A. Henry) - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Tyrone Barrion, a force engineer with I Marine Expeditionary Force, poses for a photograph at the conclusion of a groundbreaking ceremony at Alannay Elementary School prior to the commencement of Exercise Balikatan 24 in Cagayan, Philippines, March 26, 2024. BK 24 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Barrion is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Trent A. Henry)