The Philippines and the US have launched the largest iteration of their annual Balikatan military drills, deploying thousands of soldiers in what has been called the “Super Bowl” of exercises for its unparalleled scale.
The 40th edition of Balikatan, which means shoulder-to-shoulder in Tagalog, is scheduled to take place from 21 April to 9 May. The drills are expected to involve some 14,000 troops, with contingents from the UK, France, Canada, Australia and Japan also participating.
