U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 and engineers from the 53rd Engineering Brigade, Philippine Army, perform legacy airfield damage repair methods as part of exercise Balikatan 2026 at Camp Lapu-Lapu, Cebu City, Philippines, April 29, 2026. 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. (U.S. Navy video by Natasha Ninete)
U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians assigned to
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 participated in Iwo To Live Mine
Exercise (MINEX) 2025, a bilateral mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise hosted annually by
the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the vicinity of Iwo To, Japan, May 29 to June
24.
From June 5 to 22, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps EOD technicians participated in IWO-TO LIVE MINEX 2025 alongside Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force counterparts near Iwoto, Japan. Operating from JS Uraga, the joint team used unmanned underwater vehicles and divers to detect and neutralize live, unarmed naval mines, completing full Detect-to-Engage sequences in a challenging volcanic seafloor environment. The exercise enhanced underwater...
From June 5 to 22, U.S. Navy and Marine Corps EOD technicians participated in IWO-TO LIVE MINEX 2025 alongside Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force counterparts near Iwoto, Japan. Operating from JS Uraga, the joint team used unmanned underwater vehicles and divers to detect and neutralize live, unarmed naval mines, completing full Detect-to-Engage sequences in a challenging volcanic seafloor environment. The exercise enhanced underwater...