Indo-Pacific — 2026-04-28
Four-Nation Forces Conduct First-Ever Counter-Landing Live-Fire Exercise at Palawan During Balikatan 2026
Over 500 service members from the United States, Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand conducted the first-ever four-nation counter-landing live-fire exercise during Balikatan 2026 at Long Point Beach in Aborlan, Palawan, on April 27. The training scenario involved ISR assets detecting a mock enemy amphibious vessel followed by engagement with HIMARS, mortars, Stingers, Javelins, and TOW missiles. U.S. Marines from Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, soldiers from the 7th Infantry Division, Philippine marines from the 3rd Marine Brigade, and Royal Australian Regiment and Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment troops participated. The 2026 exercise is the largest Balikatan to date with 17,000 troops from multiple nations.
Analysis
The first quadrilateral counter-landing live-fire in Balikatan history demonstrates that U.S., Philippine, Australian, and New Zealand forces can integrate ISR cueing with precision fires, including HIMARS, Javelins, and TOW missiles, against an adversary amphibious force in the Philippine littoral. Palawan's proximity to the Spratlys makes the venue deliberate: allied forces can now contest a seaborne approach to Philippine-administered territory within a coordinated multinational fires architecture. The 17,000-troop scale and quadrilateral format represent the most assertive allied deterrence posture in the SCS since the 2016 arbitral ruling. China willvery likely conduct military exercises in the South China Sea within 30 days, consistent with PLA response patterns following prior Balikatan iterations.
The first quadrilateral counter-landing live-fire in Balikatan history demonstrates that U.S., Philippine, Australian, and New Zealand forces can integrate ISR cueing with precision fires, including HIMARS, Javelins, and TOW missiles, against an adversary amphibious force in the Philippine littoral. Palawan's proximity to the Spratlys makes the venue deliberate: allied forces can now contest a seaborne approach to Philippine-administered territory within a coordinated multinational fires architecture. The 17,000-troop scale and quadrilateral format represent the most assertive allied deterrence posture in the SCS since the 2016 arbitral ruling. China will
1 sources
- Multinational Forces Validate Defensive Readiness During Balikatan 2026 Counter-Landing Training -
US Indo-Pacific Command