Balikatan 2025: PH, US navies hold gunnery exercises off Zambales

Philippine Navy personnel aboard BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16) operate a .50 caliber gun during a surface target shoot as part of the gunnery exercise of the multilateral marine event of the 2025 “Balikatan” exercises off the coast of San Felipe, Zambales on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Photo from the Armed Forces of the Philippines)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy and its United States counterpart held a gunnery exercise as part of the multilateral marine event of this year’s “Balikatan” (BK 40-2025) exercises, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced on Saturday. 

The AFP detailed that the gunnery exercise took place on Friday in the waters 21 nautical miles west of San Felipe,  Zambales.

“The drill involved live-fire maneuvers using .50 caliber guns and was participated in by the Philippine Navy BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16) and BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS36). The Philippine Coast Guard contributed with the deployment of its Offshore Patrol Vessel BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV 8301),” the AFP said in a statement.

“On the United States side, the USS Savannah (LCS 28) and USS Comstock (LSD 45) took part in the training event,” it added.

READ: PH, US kick off annual Balikatan war games

The 40th iteration of the annual war games between Manila and Washington began on Monday, April 21. It will run until May 9.

According to a previous AFP statement, 6,000 Philippine personnel and 12,000 US personnel were participating in the BK 40-2025 activities.

The two nations were also joined by smaller contingents from Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, France and Canada.