MANILA, Philippines – Magpapadala ng advance military capabilities ang Estados Unidos sa Pilipinas, kabilang ang Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) para sa Balikatan joint military exercises ngayong taon.
Kasunod ng meeting kasama ang mga opisyal ng bansa, sinabi ni US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth na nagkasundo ang dalawang bansa para sa susunod na hakbang sa pagpapalakas ng seguridad sa Indo-Pacific.
Kabilang dito ay ang paggamit ng $500 million commitment ng US sa foreign military financing at iba pang security assistance sa military modernization ng Pilipinas.
“First, we agreed that the United States will deploy additional advanced capabilities to the Philippines. This includes using the NMESIS, anti-ship missile system, and highly capable unmanned surface vehicles in exercise Balikatan this April,” pahayag ni Hegseth.
“These systems will enable US Forces and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to train together on using advanced capabilities to defend the Philippines’ sovereignty,” dagdag niya.
Malugod namang tinanggap ni Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ang deployment ng NMESIS.
“The deployment of the NMESIS and other unmanned surface vehicles will hasten the introduction of these technologies into the vista of the Philippine Armed Forces and will train our troops for the higher technological capabilities that we need for effective deterrence in the future,” ani Teodoro. RNT/JGC
