The Philippines-Australia Army-to-Army Exercise (PAAAE) "Kasangga" 2026-1 intensified this week as troops from the Philippine Army and Australian Army conducted a wide range of combat and operational training activities across multiple training sites in Camarines Sur, according to a statement released by Colonel Louie G. Dema-ala, Chief Public Affairs of the Philippine Army, on Thursday, June 4, 2026.
The joint exercise, formally designated KASANGGA 26-01, takes its name from the Filipino word meaning "ally" or "partner," a designation that underscores the close bilateral defense relationship between the Philippines and Australia. The drills are being held at various installations in Camarines Sur, including the Magtuto Firing Range in Barangay Carolina, Naga City.
Explosive Breaching, Armor, and Marksmanship at the Forefront
Among the key training activities conducted were Demolitions Range Training exercises designed to reinforce the safe handling, placement, and detonation of explosive charges. The objective of this particular drill is to sharpen both forces' breaching and obstacle-clearing capabilities — essential skills in combined arms and assault operations.
In separate concurrent drills at the Magtuto Firing Range in Barangay Carolina, Naga City, troops from both ground forces participated in Armor Operations Training and Advanced Marksmanship Training. These exercises are aimed at synchronizing the two armies' tactical proficiency and familiarizing each force with the other's platforms, weapons systems, and operating procedures.
The Magtuto Firing Range served as the central hub for the live-fire components of the exercise, with both Philippine and Australian military personnel undergoing rigorous assessments of their individual and unit-level weapons competencies.
Full Spectrum of Combat Skills Covered in Exercise Program
Beyond demolitions and marksmanship, KASANGGA 26-01 encompasses a comprehensive slate of military training activities designed to test participants across multiple warfighting disciplines. According to the Philippine Army's official statement, the exercise program includes the following activities:
- Demolitions Range Training for breaching and obstacle-clearing
- Jungle Operations Practical Exercises
- Map Theory sessions
- Command and Control Communications Exercises (COMEX) utilizing Blue Force Tracking systems
- Mortar Gunnery and Weapons Training
- Force Training Unit activities
- Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3)
The inclusion of Blue Force Tracking in the COMEX activities is particularly significant, as it reflects an effort to achieve real-time situational awareness integration between the two forces — a critical component of modern combined operations. Blue Force Tracking systems allow commanders to monitor the positions of friendly units on a digital battlefield display, reducing the risk of fratricidal incidents and improving command decisions.
Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) training rounds out the program's medical readiness component, ensuring that combat personnel from both armies are equipped to provide immediate life-saving treatment to wounded soldiers under fire — a skill set that has become a standard element in modern multinational exercises.
Exercise Supports Philippine Army's Shift to External Security Operations
KASANGGA 26-01 carries broader strategic significance beyond the individual training events. According to the Philippine Army's public affairs office, the bilateral exercise formally supports the Army's active transition toward External Security Operations (ESO) — a doctrinal shift that reflects the Philippine military's increasing focus on conventional defense postures and territorial security challenges beyond internal armed conflict.
This strategic reorientation marks a substantial evolution in the Philippine Army's mission priorities, as the institution broadens its operational readiness for scenarios involving external state-level threats. Joint exercises with capable partner militaries such as the Australian Army serve as practical platforms for developing the interoperability and combined arms proficiency required by this expanded mandate.
The regular conduct of the PAAAE "Kasangga" series is a key instrument in building sustained force-on-force familiarity between the Philippine and Australian armies, allowing both sides to align their respective tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) through repeated, structured engagement rather than one-off interactions.
Philippines-Australia Defense Partnership and Kasangga Exercise History
The PAAAE "Kasangga" series is part of the broader defense cooperation framework between the Philippines and Australia, two treaty allies with long-standing bilateral security ties. Australia is among the Philippines' most active defense partners in the Indo-Pacific region, with cooperation spanning joint exercises, capability development, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations.
The bilateral army-to-army exercise format allows ground forces from both countries to interact at the unit level — below the strategic and policy tier — and to develop the kind of practical, field-level interoperability that is essential for effective combined operations. Exercises in the Kasangga series are conducted on a regular basis and are designed to progressively build on the skills and procedures developed in previous iterations.
The designation "Kasangga" — rooted in Filipino and meaning a trusted companion or partner — reflects the spirit in which the exercise was conceived: not merely as a formal alliance obligation, but as an expression of genuine mutual commitment between two armed forces.
9th Infantry Division Hosts Exercise in Camarines Sur
The 9th Infantry Division (9ID) of the Philippine Army and its Public Affairs Office (9DPAO) are providing support and documentation for the ongoing exercise, which is being held across multiple training venues in Camarines Sur. Naga City's Magtuto Firing Range in Barangay Carolina is one of the confirmed primary training sites for the live-fire and tactical drills being conducted during the exercise period.
Camarines Sur, located in the Bicol Region of Luzon, falls within the area of operations of the Philippine Army's 9th Infantry Division, making it a regularly utilized training ground for ground forces exercises in the region.
The Philippine Army has not released a specific end date for KASANGGA 26-01 as of this report. Further updates are expected from the Army's public affairs office as the exercise progresses through its remaining training phases.
The official statement from Colonel Dema-ala was released on Thursday, June 4, 2026, through the Philippine Army's public affairs channels. All photos accompanying the statement were credited to the 9th Division Public Affairs Office, the 9th Infantry Division, and the Philippine Army.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of 9th Division Public Affairs Office (9DPAO), 9th Infantry Division, Philippine Army