The United States Army and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have formally opened Exercise Salaknib 2026 at Fort Magsaysay, marking the start of several weeks of combined training that the two armies describe as a cornerstone of their alliance.
The opening ceremony brought the annual exercise underway with thousands of US and Philippine soldiers due to train together across a range of events. The drill is hosted in the Philippines at the invitation of the Philippine government and is designed to build combat readiness and interoperability between the two armies, spanning jungle warfare, aviation operations, advanced live-fire and the archipelagic defence concept that shapes how Philippine forces plan to secure their island territory.
Maj. Gen. James Bartholomees, Commanding General of the 25th Infantry Division, set out the purpose of the training. “Salaknib builds credible combat land forces alongside our oldest treaty ally in the region,” he said. “This realistic training sharpens our collective skills and ensures we are prepared to uphold our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.” The 25th Infantry Division, based in Hawaii, has anchored the US Army’s contribution to recurring exercises across the region, and Salaknib serves as a precursor to the larger annual Balikatan exercise.
Representing the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Maj. Gen. Efren Morados, Vice Commander of the Philippine Army, framed the exercise around the relationships between the soldiers taking part. “Beyond tactics and systems, this exercise is about people,” he said. “It is about the bonds formed between soldiers who train together under demanding conditions. It is about mutual respect and shared responsibility. These are the foundations of any successful alliance.”
Morados also addressed the wider group of nations sending personnel to observe the training. “To our partners from the United States Army and participating nations, your presence here affirms a shared commitment to peace and security,” he said, telling them their professionalism was valued.
Subject matter experts and observers from the Australian Army, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the New Zealand Defence Force are taking part this year, which the US Army says reflects shared security interests among nations supporting a free and open Indo-Pacific. The presence of those partners continues a pattern of widening participation in Philippine-hosted exercises, as several governments deepen defence ties in the region.
