Balikatan 2026 Day 9: IAMD Live-Fire at Zambales — US Avenger System Fires Stinger Missile, Intercepts Banshee Drone; AFP Hosts First Joint Exercise Senior Enlisted Symposium

On April 28, 2026 — Day 9 of Exercise Balikatan 41-2026 — the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) phase at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui (NSLG), San Antonio, Zambales reached its live-fire climax. A US Army Avenger air defense system fired a Stinger infrared-guided missile that successfully intercepted a Banshee target drone simulating a large unmanned aircraft threat. Smaller trainer drones were also engaged using .30 and .50 caliber machine guns, validating low-altitude counter-UAS procedures in a combined Philippine-US-partner configuration. The live-fire drill marks the first time the Avenger–Stinger combination has been exercised in direct integration with Philippine Air Force radar and command networks under Balikatan conditions, directly testing the type of integrated counter-drone capability needed against PLA drone swarms and the UCAVs operated from the Type 076 Sichuan amphibious assault ship — which was simultaneously conducting South China Sea trials during the exercise period. Separately, the Armed Forces of the Philippines hosted the First Joint Exercise Senior Enlisted Symposium of Balikatan 2026 on April 28, bringing together senior noncommissioned officers from all seven participating nations (Philippines, United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand) to exchange doctrine, lessons learned, and best practices for large-scale combined exercises — the first time a senior enlisted leadership event of this kind has been included in Balikatan's formal program. Manila Bulletin's April 29 coverage linked the day's IAMD drills to China's Antelope Reef expansion in the Paracel Islands, noting the timing contrast between allied capability-building and Chinese island construction. The IAMD phase concludes on April 29 as the exercise moves to its final ten days.