Filipino and Australian soldiers spent Oct. 22, 2026 training together on drones and anti-armor tactics in Hinabangan, Samar, during the second round of Exercise Kasangga this year.
The drills took place at the 8th Division Training School (8DTS) in Barangay Fatima, Hinabangan. The Philippine Army said the two forces worked on anti-armor operations in complex terrain and traded the flying skills and legal know-how needed to operate unmanned aerial systems (UAS) safely, responsibly and effectively.
At a glance
- Exercise: Philippines-Australia Army-to-Army Exercise (PAAAE) "Kasangga" 2026-02
- Where: 8th Division Training School, Barangay Fatima, Hinabangan, Samar
- Opened: Oct. 19, 2026; set to end in the second week of November 2026
- Troops: 234 in all: 144 from the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division and 90 from the Australian Army
- Focus this week: drone (UAS) operation and anti-armor tactics
What the photos show
Images released by the 8th Infantry Division's public affairs office show Filipino troops aiming shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons while Australian soldiers coach them. Other frames show soldiers from both armies gathered around a fixed-wing drone on the training school grounds.
Second round this year
Kasangga 2026-02 follows Kasangga 2026-1, which ran from late May to June 19 in Camarines Sur, in the area covered by the Army's 9th Infantry Division. That earlier round was the first to bring in the Philippine Air Force and the Philippine Navy, according to the Philippine Army. The series itself began in the Bicol Region in November 2024.
The name comes from the Filipino word for "ally" or "partner." The Philippine Army describes Kasangga as a regular bilateral exercise meant to improve how the two armies work together across a range of warfighting functions.
From Bicol to Samar, now with drones
With this round, the series has moved from Bicol to Eastern Visayas and now includes hands-on drone training alongside anti-armor drills. The Army says the exercise is also part of its strategic partnership with the Australian Army in support of a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.
Photos: 8th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office (8DPAO), Philippine Army