The Philippine Navy successfully conducted a test of the anti-ship missile, resulting in the sinking of a decommissioned tanker in the South China Sea. The event took place during the maritime attack exercise Balikatan 2024 on Wednesday morning.
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The BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the Philippine Navy’s flagship vessel, launched a C-Star anti-ship cruise missile at the BRP Lake Caliraya (AF-81) tanker, which was decommissioned in 2020 due to maintenance issues. Built in China, the tanker was donated in 2014 by the Philippine National Oil Corporation for use in refueling operations.
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Originally scheduled to be sunk in a maritime aviation support exercise the previous summer, the sinking of Lake Caliraya was postponed due to bad weather and subsequently rescheduled for Balikatan 2024, where it was used as a target.
This year’s Balikatan exercise also marked the first deployment of the Army’s Medium Range Capability in a maritime attack scenario, aiming to enhance the combined engagement network among the forces of the United States, Australia, and the Philippines. “This exercise focused on integrating our combined networks and increasing interoperability to detect and engage targets from a variety of land, maritime, and aerial platforms,” explained Colonel Douglas Krugman, director of the combined coordination center.
Resources used to provide data to the command center included a US Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, an Australian Royal Air Force E-7A Wedgetail early warning and control aircraft, and a TPS-80 radar from the Marine Corps, in addition to the participation of missiles, bombs, and other cutting-edge technologies.
Balikatan exercises continue to be a crucial pillar of the Philippines’ maritime defense strategy, strengthening military capabilities in the South China Sea region through international collaborations and advanced training.
Source: Armed Forces of the Philippines / Twitter @TeamAFP. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.