PH Army, Australian counterpart to hold joint training exercises to boost defense ties
The Philippine Army will be conducting bilateral training exercises with its Australian counterpart as part of efforts to improve the existing defense relations between the two countries.
The training exercises will be held in the Philippines and in Australia this month and in October as provided for under the Philippines-Australia Joint Defense Cooperation Program.
The Australian leg of the war games will be dubbed “Dusk” while the exercises in the Philippines will be referred to as “Dawn.”
“It’s the Australian Army’s way of branding the exercises, like a codename,” said Col. Benjamin Hao, Army spokesperson, when asked if there was any particular meaning to it.
Col. Jose Faustino Jr., assistant chief of staff for training and education, said both armies have been engaging in bilateral activities to enhance the existing defense relations between Australia and the Philippines.
Based on the Army’s 2015 training program, the two exercises are the Philippine-Australia Exercise “Dusk” Caracha and the Philippine-Australia Exercise “Dawn” Caracha.
The Exercise ‘Dusk’ Caracha 2015 will be held in Perth, Western Australia, from September 15 to 26 between the Special Operations Commands (SOCOM) of the Philippine and Australian armies.
Hao said Exercise ‘Dusk’ Caracha would enhance the counter-terrorist skills and capabilities of their Light Reaction Regiment.
The bilateral training exercise will use the training facilities of the Special Air Service Regiment in Australia.
“It will also include closed-quarter battle training, sniper skills development training, and unit collective training,” said Hao.
The Philippine Army will send 25 personnel from the Light Reaction Regiment of its SOCOM to take part in the training in Australia.
Meanwhile, the Philippine-Australia Exercise “Dawn” Caracha 2015 will be held from October 19 to 30 in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.
Involving 102 soldiers from the Philippine Army and 15 soldiers from Australian Army, the training will improve the interoperability between the special forces units of both countries.
Exercise “Dawn’”Caracha is an annual army-to-army exercise between the Special Air Service Regiment of the Australian Army’s SOCOM and its Philippine counterpart.
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