FORT MAGSAYSAY, Philippines — In a powerful demonstration of bilateral cooperation and rapid mobility, U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 25th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, and Philippine special forces conducted joint aerial delivery and sling load training with equipment provided by the Joint Theater Distribution Center (JTDC) during Exercise Salaknib 26, April 6-9, 2026.
“In total, over 1,000 pounds of Class I rations consisting of meals ready to eat (MREs), rice, sardines, water, and eggs were airdropped off the ramp of a CH-47 Chinook to warfighters on the ground,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mervin Terre, the support operation officer assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 25th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. “This was followed by sling-load operations conducted with two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, further strengthening interoperability and mission proficiency amongst our allied partners.”
Over a span of four days, U.S. Soldiers conducted hands-on instruction in rigging and live aerial resupply missions with more than 60 Philippine Army special forces personnel including parachute riggers, infantrymen, jumpmasters and students in airborne school.
Equipment sourced from the Joint Theater Distribution Center enabled the training, including A-22 Container Delivery Systems, 5K cargo nets and 25K sling sets. These systems allowed Soldiers to configure and deliver multiple sustainment supply types.
“The JTDC is a central joint logistics hub in a theater of operations stocked with theater Army-funded commodities and capabilities,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jaison Santiago, a senior airdrop systems technician assigned to the 8th Special Troops Battalion, 130th Engineer Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command. “The JTDC is important to ensure essential supplies and equipment are readily available to support forces across the vast Pacific.”
As the Army continues to modernize its sustainment operations, the JTDC, equipped with sling load capability, will play a central role in ensuring U.S. and partner forces remain supplied, mobile, and capable to operate anywhere in the Pacific.
“The availability of aerial delivery equipment, combined with a streamlined request process, enables participating units to effectively execute aerial distribution operations across the Philippine islands,” said Terre.
Salaknib 26 demonstrated how JTDC-enabled sling load operations improve sustainment, increase flexibility and support distributed operations.
“Collaborating with more than 60 soldiers from the Philippine Special Forces Airborne Operations was both professionally rewarding and operationally effective,” stated Terre. “Being of Filipino descent, I was truly grateful for the opportunity to teach and train amongst such an elite group of individuals.”