Balikatan 25: 40 years shoulder to shoulder
Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. armed forces participate in Exercise Balikatan 25 in the Philippines, April 21 to May 9, 2025. Balikatan...
Exercise Balikatan is the largest annual bilateral exercise conducted between the Philippines and the United States. The Tagalog phrase “Balikatan” means “shoulder-to-shoulder,” capturing the spirit of the exercise and the close friendship between the United States and the Philippines. Taking place April 21 to May 9, 2025 across the Philippine Archipelago, BK25 marks the 40th iteration of the exercise, directly supporting ongoing efforts to operationalize the 1951 U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty by ensuring tactical proficiency, interoperability, capability development, and improved military-to-military coordination between our forces, and advancing our shared commitment to and support for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
