Balikatan 2026 Day 11: AFP and Four Allied Navies Deploy 11 Warships in West Philippine Sea — CASEX, GUNNEX, PHOTOEX as Chinese Vessels Shadow at Distance

On April 30, 2026 — Day 11 of Exercise Balikatan 41-2026 — the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and four allied navies deployed 11 warships in the West Philippine Sea for Multinational Maritime Events (MME) featuring anti-submarine, gunnery, and photographic exercises. The participating vessels included Philippine ships BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-05) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151); the USS Ashland (LSD-48), the Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship assigned to Task Force Ashland; Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JS Ikazuchi and auxiliary ship JS Shimokita; and Australia's HMAS Toowoomba (FFH 156). Canada's HMCS Charlottetown was also in the operating area as part of the broader Balikatan MME framework. The exercises conducted on April 30 included Communication Checks (COMCHECK), Photo Exercise (PHOTOEX), Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise (CASEX), and Gunnery Exercise (GUNNEX) — the full combined maritime competency validation set for Balikatan 2026's maritime phase. Manila Bulletin's April 30 coverage confirmed that Chinese vessels were observed shadowing the multinational formation from a distance without performing any dangerous maneuvers, contrasting with PLA behavior during the simultaneous combat readiness patrols at Scarborough Shoal announced by the Southern Theater Command the same day. The West Philippine Sea MME on Day 11 forms the multilateral sea control component of the final phase of Balikatan 2026, complementing the ongoing NOLCOM/Luzon Strait exercises conducted by DESRON-7 and Task Force Ashland on April 28–29. The 11-ship formation representing five navies is the largest allied naval grouping ever exercised in the West Philippine Sea under the Balikatan program.