Photo By Cpl. Ryan Ramsammy | U.S. Marine Corps Col. George J. Flynn, right, commanding officer of Marine Rotational...... read more read more
FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City, Philippines — More than 2,000 service members from the Philippines, the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea commenced Exercise Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat (KAMANDAG) 10 on June 15, demonstrating combined readiness, interoperability and the enduring strength of the U.S.-Philippine alliance through training conducted across the Philippine archipelago.
KAMANDAG 10, the premier annual exercise between the Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps, is a multi-domain, joint and combined exercise designed to enhance maritime security, strengthen interoperability, improve contested logistics capabilities, and increase combined readiness among allied and partner forces. Conducted from June 15 to July 1, the exercise includes training across Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Palawan, Tawi-Tawi, Cavite and Metro Manila.
This year's exercise brings together forces from the Philippine Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and Republic of Korea Marine Corps, while observers from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Thailand are participating throughout the exercise.
As the United States and the Philippines mark the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty, KAMANDAG 10 demonstrates the continued evolution of the alliance through realistic training that strengthens operational integration and enhances the ability of participating forces to respond together during crises, contingencies, and humanitarian disasters.
Training events throughout the exercise include maritime key terrain security operations, maritime strike activities, counter-landing operations, airfield seizure and defense, island seizure and defense, seaborne maneuver, amphibious raids, military free-fall operations, close air support integration, and subject matter expert exchanges.
KAMANDAG 10 provides participating forces the opportunity to strengthen interoperability and improve their ability to conduct combined operations across the Philippine archipelago.
"Exercise KAMANDAG marks its 10th iteration, evolving from bilateral engagement into a premier multinational platform built on trust, cooperation, and collective resolve," said Brig. Gen. Bob R. Apostol, Philippine Navy (Marine), exercise director for KAMANDAG 10. "This exercise advances shared goals by strengthening capabilities, deepening relationships, and reaffirming a unified commitment to peace, stability, and collective security."
"Readiness is not merely an option; it is a responsibility. Cooperation is not a convenience; it is a necessity. And interoperability is not an aspiration; it is an operational imperative," Apostol added.
Col. George J. Flynn III, commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, highlighted the exercise's role in supporting Philippine defense priorities and improving combined readiness.
"Operating collectively alongside Philippine Marine Corps brothers and sisters, we are here to directly support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ and its Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept."
"Over the coming weeks, across dispersed nodes from Northern Luzon down to Palawan and Tawi-Tawi, we will focus our combined readiness on what matters most: territorial defense, coastal defense operations, and interoperability," Flynn added.
KAMANDAG 10 brings together forward-deployed Marine forces from Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin and 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment alongside Philippine and multinational partners to conduct realistic training across maritime and expeditionary environments.
"KAMANDAG 10 is an incredible opportunity for 3rd MLR to train in realistic and operationally relevant environments with our allies and partners,” said Col. Gabriel L. Diana, commanding officer, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. “Together with our Philippine counterparts and alongside capable formations like MRF-SEA and MRF-D, KAMANDAG 10 will demonstrate our combined ability to build and sustain readiness and interoperability across complex maritime terrain.”
Col. Robert S. Bunn, commanding officer, Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia, highlighted KAMANDAG 10's role in advancing alliance integration and combined readiness.
"As the United States and the Philippines commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Mutual Defense Treaty, KAMANDAG 10 reflects the continued evolution of our alliance from partnership to operational integration," said Bunn. "Training shoulder-to-shoulder alongside our Philippine Marine Corps counterparts strengthens interoperability, supports the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization efforts and Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, and ensures our forces remain forward, ready and responsive to shared challenges throughout the Indo-Pacific."
Throughout KAMANDAG 10, Marine Rotational Force – Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force's forward command element in the Philippines, integrates alongside the Philippine Marine Corps, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin and 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, to conduct realistic training across multiple locations throughout the Philippine archipelago.
KAMANDAG 10 demonstrates the enduring strength of the U.S.-Philippine alliance through realistic combined training that enhances interoperability, strengthens readiness, and improves the ability of allied and partner forces to operate together when it matters most. As the United States and the Philippines mark 75 years of alliance cooperation, the exercise reinforces that we are stronger together when we stand shoulder-to-shoulder.
| Date Taken: | 06.15.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2026 21:51 |
| Story ID: | 567863 |
| Location: | PH |
| Web Views: | 37 |
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