PH Navy Ships Engage in Anti-sub Warfare in WPS Drill

21 November 2025

Maritime Multilateral Cooperative Activity (MMCA), betwe en Philiipine with Japan and the United States(photo: Embassy of Japan in the Philippines)

MANILA – Philippine Navy (PN) ships engaged in anti-submarine warfare during the recent Maritime Multilateral Cooperative Activity (MMCA) with Japan and the United States in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), an official said Tuesday.

"There are different serials that we perform, the most common of [those] in the MMCA is that PN ships engage in anti-submarine warfare," PN spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing, responding to questions regarding the PN ships' role during the MMCA held on Nov. 14 and 15.

Specifically, the PN ships were tasked to detect and hunt down possible submarine contacts during the drill, Trinidad said, adding it is the role the PN usually adopts when joining international task forces at sea.

Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) refers to the naval expertise or skills in detecting, tracking and, if required, destroying hostile submarine contacts.

During the latest MMCA, which was the eighth this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and US Indo-Pacific Command (INDO-PACOM) deployed a variety and naval and air assets to train together to improve the interoperability of the militaries of the three nations.

The AFP deployed its two missile-capable frigates, BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), along with an AW-159 Wildcat helicopter.

Meanwhile, the US INDO-PACOM deployed the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, led by the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68), while JMSDF fielded JS Akebono (DD-108) and the SH-60K Seahawk.

The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Cape San Agustin supported the mission, enhancing maritime domain awareness in the WPS.

The AFP said the exercise featured a full suite of interoperability drills: communications checks, resupply-at-sea approaches, anti-submarine exercises, maritime domain awareness reporting, cross-deck helicopter landings, formation maneuvers, and final integrated exercise. 

(PNA)

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