US, Philippines troops fire Javelin anti-tank missiles in largest ever joint war games

Palayan, Philippines: In their largest ever military drills, US and Philippine troops on Thursday turned their Javelin anti-tank missiles on cars standing in as enemy vehicles. The missiles, fired from about 600 metres (0.37 miles) away by three soldiers, destroyed three sedans parked on scrubland at a military base in the north of the Philippines. The annual Balikatan,  military exercises, seen as a statement from Manila pushing back against Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, came after China simulated targeted strikes and a blockade of self-ruled, democratic Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. Balikatan means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog, an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by the ethnic Tagalog people, who make up a quarter of the population of the Philippines Addressing the media at the site, US Army Pacific Commander General Charles Flynn said, “As you’re recently witnessing, there are some irresponsible behaviours that are ongoing and we should call those irresponsible behaviours out.” Flynn added that the war games were an important show of “collective commitment to maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific”. Philippine Army chief Lieutenant-General Romeo Brawner praised the “effectivity” of Javelins against Russian tank and armour in the Ukraine war, adding Manila plans to acquire the weapon in the future. “We want to also bring that capability to the Philippine Army in order for us to be able to bolster our defensive posture and be able to defend our territory,” Brawner added. The exercise aims to boost Manila’s military capability while serving as a US show of support for its Asian ally amid China’s growing assertiveness. Nearly 18,000 troops are taking part in the annual exercises, which for the first time will include the sinking by live fire of a decommissioned Philippine navy warship in the South China Sea, waters that Beijing claims almost entirely. It follows a deal announced last week for US forces to use an increased number of bases in the Philippines, including one near Taiwan. The exercises and growing US access to Philippine bases have angered China. “Facts speak louder than words. Judging from the locations of the new military bases, the intention behind those sites is more than obvious,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday. He warned: “We would like to once again remind the relevant country in the region that pandering to forces outside the region will not bring greater security, but will cause tensions, put regional peace and stability at risk, and eventually backfire.” Balikatan will include military helicopters landing on a Philippine island off the northern tip of the main island of Luzon, nearly 300 kilometres (180 miles) from Taiwan, and the retaking of another island by amphibious forces. It will be the first time the exercises have been held under President Ferdinand Marcos, who plans to watch the ship sinking on 26 April. He has sought to strengthen ties with the United States after his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte weakened the alliance. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.