RP, U.S. to conduct naval exercise

RP, U.S. to conduct naval exercise

MANILA (AFP): Some 4,000 Filipino and U.S. servicemen are to participate in two weeks of joint naval exercises this month, the second large-scale maneuvers between the allies this year, officials said on Monday.

The exercises will be held at the Philippine navy headquarters in Manila and four other military bases, said navy spokesman Commander Benjamin Tancio.

Some 1,700 U.S. servicemen will take part in the exercises on board five U.S. ships, headed by U.S. Commodore Joseph Natale, commander of the destroyer Squadron Nine based in Everett, Washington, Tancio said. About the same number of the Filipinos will join the maneuvers, he said.

The exercises are aimed at promoting "inter-operability" between the forces of the two countries in the fields of planning, command control and community relations projects, Tancio said.