PALAWAN PROVINCE, Philippines –
Philippine Marines with 3rd Marine Brigade and U.S. Marines with elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit established defensive positions at Apurawan Beach to conduct a combined live-fire coastal defense Oct. 22, 2024, during Exercise KAMANDAG 8.
The training scenario on Palawan’s western shores integrated Philippine and U.S. forces as they coordinated close air support, air defense systems, guided missiles, artillery, mortars, rockets, machine guns, and command-detonated mines to repel a simulated amphibious landing to defend key maritime terrain.
Philippine Navy Vice Adm. Alfonso Torres, commander of Western Command, and Philippine Marine Corps Commandant Maj. Gen Arturo Rojas attended the event, along with other key commanders and staff.
KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise taking place Oct. 15-25 aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps.
“Today, Philippine and U.S. Marines are integrating our respective emerging doctrines for coastal defense and counter-landing operations,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, commanding officer of Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th MEU. “We’re training to maneuver and mass effects to attrite, block, fix and destroy a force that attempts to land. Here, Philippine guides would bring in our forces to rapidly establish an area defense of this landing site. Our engagement area would extend from the beach's exit routes out to the launch points for enemy landing craft, with a plan for fires integrating both Philippine and U.S. Marine weapons systems.”
On the day prior to the coastal defense, Charlie Battery, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, landed on Palawan’s eastern shores from the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Sulu Sea. The unit then infiltrated their M777 155 mm towed howitzers across 45 miles of mountainous terrain to firing positions covering the engagement area. Although the M777s did not fire live artillery during the exercise, their participation marked a significant milestone in quickly positioning defensive fires capabilities on the island.
“This was the longest U.S. military tactical movement, bearing the most fires capability to date, across Palawan,” said Freeman. “This is the first time we have moved this much firepower from one side of the island to the other, and they did it safely, swiftly, and realistically from a ship to objective.”
In just over 24 hours, the dirty work of digging in by hand along hundreds of yards of coconut palms was completed by approximately 150 Philippine Marines from 3rd MDBE and 150 U.S. Marines from 15th MEU, mainly from BLT 1/5’s Weapons and Bravo Companies. From their camouflaged positions, some Marines commented that the tropical landscape reminded them of the island battles during World War II, such as Guadalcanal and Wake Island.
“This is the environment that we try to simulate back in California, but it’s difficult to do that because we often train in the desert,” said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Graham Clark, the battalion fires officer of BLT 1/5 who synchronized each of the elements conducting the live-fire. “This was valuable training with a very important partner force since we are developing these tactics to fight in an environment like Palawan.”
The first event in the scenario was the detection of an approaching unmanned aircraft system threat. FIM-92 Stinger gunners with the Low Altitude Air Defense detachment, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 15th MEU, unmasked from their positions and sighted their missiles.
When the target drone was grounded due to high winds, the Stinger gunners took direct aim at target boats bobbing just above the surface hundreds of yards away. The Stingers, typically used against aircraft, fired and scored direct hits, sending pieces of orange-painted wood scattering into the bay.
Next, radio calls alerted the defense that amphibious landing craft were approaching from over the horizon. Two F-35B Lightning II aircraft attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, 15th MEU, quickly launched from the Boxer and roared overhead. They dropped two 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs to destroy boats a few kilometers from shore before disappearing over the ocean.
From the tree line, Philippine Marines then opened fire with 105 mm artillery cannons, supported by BLT 1/5’s 81 mm and 60 mm mortars, providing steady fires and suppression on the next set of targets.
Meanwhile, a mixed section of AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters with VMM-165 (Rein.) launched from Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, where the squadron had established an aviation spoke ashore. They made multiple attack runs and fired rockets, 20 mm cannons, and 2.75-inch rounds.
As the remaining closer-in boats were targeted, BLT 1/5 Marines emerged from the tree line with Javelin anti-tank missiles, sending wood flying as their strikes echoed across the bay.
The entire beachfront then erupted as Philippine Marines fired 90 mm rounds from atop an armored personnel carrier. The combined forces also employed heavy machine guns, including Mark 19 40 mm grenade machine guns and .50-caliber machine guns, as well as medium machine guns.
When the remaining enemy force crossed the surf, individual Philippine and U.S. Marines repelled the final wave with small arms, accurately engaging paper silhouette targets at close range. A claymore anti-personnel mine detonated, signaling a final blow and ceasing fires across the beach.
“This was part of KAMANDAG, but really it’s part of a larger transformation in the concept and tactics for coastal defense strategy in this region – something that has not been employed or tested at scale for decades in the Indo-Pacific,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU. “Having the commander of WESCOM and the commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps attend showed the value and interest in developing this doctrine by both of our militaries. We, along with our Filipino counterparts, will take the lessons learned and continue to refine these concepts.”