Philippine, US Armies Conclude Salaknib 2026 Operational Maneuver Drills

The Philippine Army and US Army's 25th Infantry Division concluded the Operational Maneuver (OPMAN) phase of Exercise Salaknib 2026, a combined drill spanning June 1-16 across multiple Luzon training sites. For the first time, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force troops participated alongside Australian and New Zealand elements, part of a broader ~7,000-troop multinational program — the largest Salaknib iteration to date. Training spanned maritime security operations, ground maneuver exercises, strategic airlift missions, precision fires, and air-assault operations, testing rapid multinational integration and long-range coordinated operations across the archipelago.