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U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 26, a now-certified Special‑Purpose Marine Air‑Ground Task Force assigned to rotational deployments in the South Pacific, participated in a live-fire assault to secure and hold Balabac Airfield in a demonstration of multi-domain interoperability alongside U.S. Soldiers from 25th Infantry Division, Philippine marines and Australian soldiers during Exercise Balikatan 2026, May 3.
The shaping of this exercise began days in advance and included the insertion of multinational reconnaissance forces, according to U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Ramsey Crow, a platoon sergeant with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
“Under the cover of darkness, multi-national reconnaissance teams from the Philippine Marine Corps, Royal Australian Army, and Force Reconnaissance Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion inserted onto Balabac Island,” said Crow. “These elite elements reconnoitered key terrain to support maritime security operations and fed the targeting cycle with critical intelligence from deep within the battlespace.”
By shaping the environment, they enabled the assault force to secure the airfield and engage simulated threats with M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Crow added, and the battlespace was set for the mission to continue.
According to Crow, Philippine marines with the 61st Philippine Force Reconnaissance Company, Australian soldiers with the 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, and U.S. Marines with 1st Recon Bn., through their combined efforts, validated concepts focused on maritime key terrain security operations and directly shaped the force’s planning process.
The Marines of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268 reinforced conducted air‑delivery from Antonio Bautista Air Base to Balabac Airfield, May 2, flying more than 200 miles across the southern Philippines to transport key personnel and equipment and set conditions for the upcoming mission. That same day, U.S. Army watercraft with 7th Infantry Division, Multi-Domain Command - Pacific, conducted HIMARS Rapid Infiltration showcasing the joint force’s ability to maneuver long‑range precision‑fires capabilities into austere maritime terrain ahead of the simulated assault.
The raid force followed May 3. The operation commenced with a rapid airborne insertion as VMM-268’s MV‑22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft transported the multinational force to the airfield. Moving with tactical precision, the integrated element of U.S., Philippine, and Australian ground forces swiftly secured the island’s airfield, establishing a security perimeter in the maritime terrain and enabling follow‑on actions.
With the airfield secured and the HIMARS already positioned ashore, the exercise transitioned into a live‑fire demonstration of joint mobility and fires integration against simulated maritime targets off the coast, showcasing how U.S. and allied forces can sense, move, and strike across dispersed maritime environments.
Following the successful exfiltration of the forces, the commanding officer highlighted the strategic importance of the training evolution.
“The successful conduct of this exercise on Balabac Island perfectly illustrates the unmatched lethality and agility of our joint and combined forces,” said Col. George Flynn, the commanding officer of MRF‑D 26. “By seamlessly integrating U.S. Marine, Army, and Navy assets alongside our Philippine and Australian allies, we proved our collective ability to rapidly secure key terrain, close the kill web, and project power across the maritime domain. This level of joint and combined interoperability is the cornerstone of a strategy that ensures regional peace and prosperity.”
Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military that represents the strength of our alliance, improves our capable combined force, and demonstrates our commitment to regional peace and prosperity.