US, Australian and Philippines forces sink a ship during war drills in the disputed South China Sea

(8 May 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Laoag, Ilocos Norte - 8 May 2024
1. Various of Philippine Army firing ATMOS 155mm Howitzer during joint U.S., Australian and Philippine military exercise
2. Television monitor showing Armed Forces of the Philippine’s video of target vessel being hit
3. Philippine Army officer pointing at ship on TV monitor
4. Monitor showing ship sinking
5. Soldiers watching exercises
6. U.S. Army Lt. Colonel. Matt Cahill, talking to journalist
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lt. Colonel. Matt Cahill, U.S. Army:
“It's extremely lethal, both from the aerial perspective and from the ground perspective, you know the ability of both the U.S. and the Filipino army and air force worked together to achieve this, is extremely lethal, its a great step forward for everybody.”
8. Various of U.S. troops walking on sand
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Lt. Colonel. Matt Cahill, U.S. Army:
“You know, you don’t take the field with a new team right before the big game, right? You have quite a few practices and that is what we are doing here, it's getting out into the field and practicing along side one another so we can learn, you know, how each other operates and how we are gonna react to certain scenarios, so. It is hugely important to us.”
10. Troops arranging their gears
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Lt. Colonel. Matt Cahill, U.S. Army:
“It’s all about partnership and working shoulder to shoulder with our Filipino counterparts wether, like I said, on the ground, maritime or air component. And so, I think that is the biggest thing that we got out of this is working shoulder to shoulder, de-conflicting air and ground space and just trying along side one another.”
12. Various of military officials, observers
13. Foreign military observers posing for a photo after watching exercise
STORYLINE:
Military forces from the United States, Australia and the Philippines launched a barrage of high-precision rockets, artillery fire and airstrikes to sink a ship Wednesday as part of large drills in waters facing the disputed South China Sea.

The drills have antagonized Beijing.

Military officials, diplomats and journalists from several countries watched the firepower from a hilltop along a sandy coast in Laoag City in Ilocos Norte.

More than 16,000 military personnel from the United States and the Philippines, backed by a few hundred Australian troops and military observers from 14 countries were participating in annual combat-readiness drills called Balikatan, Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder, which started on April 22 and will end on Friday.

It’s the latest indication of how the United States and the Philippines have bolstered a defense treaty alliance that started in the 1950s.

Marcos has ordered his military to shift its focus to external defense from decades-long domestic anti-insurgency operations as China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea become a top concern. That strategic shift dovetails with the efforts of President Joe Biden and his administration to reinforce an arc of alliances in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China.

China has angered the Philippines by repeatedly harassing its navy and coast guard ships with the use of powerful water cannons, a military-grade laser, blocking movements and other dangerous maneuvers in the high seas near two disputed South China Sea shoals that have led to minor collisions. Those have caused several injuries to Filipino navy personnel and damaged supply boats.




AP video by Vicente Gonzales and Jim Gomez

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