KADENA AIR BASE, Japan — Airmen assigned to the 733d Air Mobility Squadron deployed to the Philippines from April 17 to May 9 in support of Exercise Balikatan 2026, enabling critical joint force mobility operations across the Indo-Pacific theater.
The six-person team supported hub-and-spoke operations throughout the Philippines by conducting Joint Inspections, ensuring the safety, airworthiness and accuracy of cargo and vehicles before airlift movement. Their efforts directly supported the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment and 25th Infantry Division in support of Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations – North.
During the exercise, the team executed 29 inspections involving 16 vehicles, three pallets and more than 375,000 pounds of cargo across multiple locations, including Lal-lo, Basco, Itbayat and Laoag, Philippines.
“Our Airmen demonstrated the agility, adaptability and technical expertise required to support complex mobility operations in a dynamic environment,” said Lt. Col. Joshua Messer, 733d AMS commander. “Their ability to rapidly integrate with joint partners and execute operations across dispersed locations directly contributed to the success of Balikatan 2026 and reinforced our commitment to regional readiness and interoperability.”
The operation supported the movement and redeployment of critical personnel, vehicles and equipment across multiple locations throughout the Philippines, enabling joint and allied forces to execute reconnaissance, sea denial and logistics operations during Balikatan 2026. Working alongside Marine Corps and Army units in dispersed environments, the 733d AMS team provided rapid air mobility support that helped sustain mission operations across the theater.
“Every inspection mattered because every piece of equipment directly supported operations happening across the theater,” said Technical Sergeant Martin Valencia, 733d AMS air freight supervisor. “Operating across multiple islands and supporting different units showed how important mobility Airmen are to keeping the joint force connected and mission ready.”
Exercise Balikatan is an annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States military designed to strengthen interoperability, operational readiness and regional security cooperation. The 41st iteration of the exercise included more than 17,000 personnel from the Philippines, United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, France and New Zealand.
The 733d AMS’ support during Balikatan 2026 highlighted the critical role mobility Airmen play in enabling distributed operations and sustaining joint force readiness throughout the Indo-Pacific.