Japan’s advanced amphibious aircraft US-2 ShinMaywa made its debut during Balikatan 2026, the largest joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States.
According to a report from Naval News, the aircraft from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) landed in the South China Sea as part of a joint casualty evacuation exercise for the Balikatan drills on April 27, 2026.
The exercise, which took place at a staging point for Philippine military resupply missions near Oyster Bay in Palawan, was just one of several events held in the Philippines for this year’s Balikatan.
This year’s Balikatan is the largest to date, with around 17,000 troops participating. Japan deployed approximately 1,400 personnel, marking the first time it has sent combat troops to Philippine soil since World War II, and the first deployment under the reciprocal access agreement with Manila that came into force last year.
In addition to the US-2 aircraft, Japan deployed one of its largest warships, the helicopter destroyer JS Ise, along with the landing ship JS Shimokita, the destroyer JS Ikazuchi, C-130H transport aircraft, and Type 88 missiles, for its first full participation in the joint exercises.
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Photo: INDOPACOM. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
