PH, US armies conclude rocket system training

The armies of the Philippines and the United States wrapped up a long-range rocket system training with a live-fire exercise at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija. Filipino soldiers were trained to operate the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars) by their American counterparts in a series of lectures prior to the live fire event on Friday, the Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) said in a social media post. “A total of 20 training rockets were fired during the [live fire exercise] attended by more or less 500 observers from different units of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” the AAR said. The same US-made multiple rocket launcher has been fielded by Ukraine to counter Russian aggression. It has been demonstrated several times in joint exercises between the Philippines and the United States. Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. recently said that they are planning to acquire Himars, antiship cruise missiles and air-defense artillery in the coming years as part of the AFP modernization program.

—Frances Mangosing

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