WESTERN PHILIPPINE SEA – Members of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 and Task Force (TF) Ashland, composed of Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) and embarked Marines from I Marine Expeditionary Force, began participation in Exercise Balikatan 2026, April 20.
Exercise Balikatan 2026 demonstrates the unwavering commitment to the ironclad U.S.-Philippine Alliance, highlighting the robust and effective military-to-military relationship. The Tagalog phrase “Balikatan,” meaning “shoulder-to-shoulder,” captures the spirit of the exercise and the close friendship between the United States and the Philippines. Coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France, and New Zealand will train shoulder-to-shoulder during the exercise.
Assigned to DESRON 7, TF Ashland joins ships from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Canadian Navy and U.S. Coast Guard for the Multinational Maritime Exercise that includes anti-submarine warfare and gunnery exercises, deck-landing qualifications, and search-and-rescue and medical evacuation exercises.
DESRON 7 staff embarked aboard Ashland will serve as the MME Task Group commander, directing RAN and RCN lead surface action groups totaling 10 ships from the five participating forces.
“BK26 continues to demonstrate the closeness and cooperation amongst our Allies and partners. This year’s iteration continues to enhance upon previous years, increasing our interoperability to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region,” said Capt. John Baggett, commodore, DESRON 7. “The 41st iteration of Exercise Balikatan is the largest we have ever seen in terms of scope and scale, spanning a wide-range of skills and capabilities needed to ensure peace and prosperity in the region.”
During Exercise Balikatan, MME participants will include Ashland; U.S. Coast Guard Legend-class cutter USCGC Midgett (WMSL 757); Philippine Navy landing platform dock BRP Tarlac (LD601), Miguel Malvar-class guided-missile frigate BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG6) and Jose Rizal-class guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FFG15); JMSDF Hyuga-class helicopter destroyer JS Ise (DDH 182), Murasame-class destroyer JS Ikazuchi (DD 107) and Osumi-class tank-landing ship JS Shimokita (LST 4002); RCN Halifax-class frigate HMCS Charlottetown (FFG 339); and RAN Anzac-class frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFG 156).
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad Alliance, improve our capable combined force, and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability.
As the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed DESRON in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of assigned ships deployed to the Southeast Asia area of operations.
U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific.
| Date Taken: |
04.21.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.22.2026 02:34 |
| Story ID: |
563308 |
| Location: |
PHILIPPINE SEA |
| Web Views: |
73 |
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0 |
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