CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines -- The Philippine Air Force and U.S. Air Force, alongside partners from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, and Royal Canadian Air Force, conducted multilateral medical training during Exercise Balikatan 2026 to advance patient movement capabilities, foster interoperability and expand expeditionary medical care experience.
The training strengthens efforts to improve how U.S. and partner nations work together to provide medical care across the Indo-Pacific. This ensures they can quickly share resources, treat patients and coordinate support to make care more seamless and reliable during routine peacetime activities as well as contingency operations.
The medical training lasted from April 25 to May 6 and included multiple sorties on both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft to showcase aeromedical evacuation capabilities between different nations.
During one of the training events, a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force US-2 aircraft carried a simulated casualty from Oyster Bay to Puerto Princessa, rendezvousing with a U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command MC-130J Commando II aircraft to conduct a tail-to-tail patient transfer. Under active engine-running conditions, aircraft crews moved the patient from the US-2 to the MC-130J for evacuation to Clark Air Base, demonstrating the combined forces’ ability to rapidly coordinate patient movement across distributed locations and maintain continuity of care during complex operations.
“If there's any need for patient movement in the Philippines and you don't have this foundation built, then you're not as ready as you can be,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Sean O’Hollearn, a critical care air transport nurse with 15th Medical Group. “This exercise absolutely increases our readiness, increases our ability to respond and train more appropriately for these different scenarios that we might be put into.”
“Our job here during Balikatan is to exercise multinational cooperation,” O’Hollearn added. “When it comes to simulated casualty movement for large scale operations, figuring out where we have similarities and where we have differences can increase our interoperability.”
Exercise Balikatan provides a platform for the AFP, U.S. and partner-nation service members to exchange technical expertise, offering mutual opportunities to gain new perspectives in real-world scenarios. Through direct collaboration, personnel refine specialized skills and integrate diverse operational approaches to strengthen collective mission readiness.
“There are so many different countries that you can learn from and teach them as well,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Lindsey Davis, 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron aeromedical evacuation technician. “I think they don’t often realize how much they actually teach us. It's just absolutely amazing.”
Toward the end of the exercise, the 502nd Rescue Squadron partnered with the PAF to transport a patient from one location to another via helicopter. This capability is notable because U.S. aeromedical evacuation typically relies on fixed-wing aircraft rather than rotary-wing transport. The demonstration provided a valuable learning opportunity for all participants and highlighted the PAF’s versatility in operating both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.
These engagements actively cultivate rapport and streamline communication among partner forces, ultimately contributing to more cohesive and stronger working relationships.
“Balikatan has built more than learning new things from other countries,” said Philippine Air Force Maj. Jessa Cawili, 590th Air Base Group flight nurse. “It has also built camaraderie. It helps us bond and build friendships so if it comes to a time of crisis, we will know what to do.”
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity.