The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) FA-50 Fighting Eagles and the United States Air Force’s B-52H Stratofortress joined forces on February 19 for a mixed air patrol inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This transfer drew a pointy rebuke from China as tensions continued to simmer.
The patrol, which lined areas 90 nautical miles west of Candon, Ilocos Sur, and 50 nautical miles northwest of Lubang, Mindoro, utilized three FA-50 Fighting Eagles and one B-52H Stratofortress.
The announcement, made by the PAF through its official Facebook page, included releasing a collection of pictures offering a glimpse of the joint aerial patrol train.
The photographs depict the collaborative effort between the 2 air forces, showcasing the FA-50 Fighting Eagles of the Philippine Air Force alongside the imposing B-52H Stratofortress of the United States Air Force.
In a press release, PAF stated, “On February 19, 2024, the Philippine Air Force and the U.S. Pacific Air Forces carried out the Combined Air Patrol as Phase 2 of the 3rd Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, covering areas 90 nautical miles west of Candon, Ilocos Sur, and 50 nautical miles northwest of Lubang, Mindoro.”
PH-US Air Forces perform mixed Air Patrol
See Full Story: pic.twitter.com/uJM8a5bIDa
— Philippine Air Force (@PhilAirForce) February 19, 2024
The assertion additional famous that the collaborative endeavor seeks to strengthen the partnership between the Philippine Armed Forces and their American counterparts, thereby bettering the compatibility between their respective Air Forces.
“With this activity, the PAF underscores its commitment and readiness to support the AFP’s efforts in safeguarding the national territory and sovereign rights and upholding regional peace and security,” the assertion learn.
The patrolling train took place as a part of the third maritime cooperative exercise (MCA) between the Philippines and the US, which started on February 9, 2023. The first MCA occurred in November final yr, adopted by one other in January.
PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo reiterated that the first goal of the MCA was to strengthen cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and their counterparts within the US, thereby fostering higher interoperability between the 2 Air Forces.
According to the US Navy, the MCA serves as a testomony to the enduring partnership between the 2 militaries and facilitates the development of mixed capabilities within the evolving maritime sphere by way of common goodwill actions at sea.
Chinese Calls It A Publicity Stunt
In recent months, the West Philippine Sea has turn out to be a contentious area the place disputes between the Philippines and China have intensified, primarily revolving round conflicting territorial claims and the continual pursuit of useful resource exploration actions.
At the center of this rigidity lies the routine rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy vessel grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999.
In 2023 alone, the China Coast Guard (CCG) employed military-grade lasers as soon as and water cannons no less than 4 instances towards Philippine vessels conducting resupply missions to the Navy outpost.
Additionally, the CCG recurrently obstructed and engaged in what the Philippine authorities deemed “dangerous maneuvers” towards its vessels. Several confrontations between Filipino vessels and the CCG have additionally taken place in Scarborough Shoal.
China argued that the Philippines had encroached upon what it claims as its territory. The Communist nation additionally perceives the deepening army alliance between the US and the Philippines as a risk to its sovereignty.
The latest joint air patrol prompted a robust response from the Chinese army. The Chinese Southern Theatre Command, in a press release on Weibo, dismissed the air patrol as a mere publicity stunt orchestrated by the Philippines.
Accusing the Philippines of disturbing the order within the South China Sea by involving international locations from outdoors the area, the Chinese Military pledged to take care of a excessive stage of vigilance and vowed to defend its nationwide sovereignty staunchly.
Nonetheless, the joint air patrol emerges as a proactive step geared toward asserting sovereignty and safeguarding maritime pursuits inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Under the management of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines has considerably strengthened its enduring protection alliance with the United States.
Concurrently, Manila has been vocal in each publicizing and protesting towards China’s assertive actions within the South China Sea, an space over which Beijing claims almost full sovereignty.
In alignment with their shared issues, Washington and Manila have additionally lately carried out joint sea patrols within the disputed waters, signaling a united entrance towards maritime encroachments and affirming their dedication to upholding regional stability and the rule of legislation.
