Headquarters, Naval Forces Central (HNFC) – The Philippine Navy has successfully concluded its four-day at sea events together with allied partners from U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Navy for the first multilateral exercise, Exercise Samasama-Lumbas 2022 at seawaters of Basay, Negros Oriental. Aside from the primary participants, ships from Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and the British Navy also joined the naval exercise.
BRP Jose Rizal (FF150), the first guided-missile frigate of PN, in company with USS Milius (DDG 69), an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer of USN that arrived just in time for the culmination of sea phase, and Royal Australian Navy ships, HMAS Hobart and HMAS Stalwart set sail as they joined forces for the naval training exercise at NFC area of responsibility.
Series of events during the last day of the sea phase were conducted such as Surface Gunnery Exercise (GUNNEX), Air GUNNEX, and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Exercise utilizing Expendable Mobile Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Training Target (EMATT). On the Surface GUNNEX, participating navy ships from PN and RAN were given 3 consecutive runs at decreasing distances before firing their secondary guns at the killer tomato as its target.
While on the Air GUNNEX, a target towed drone by the USN Hawker Hunter aircraft was simulated as an air target. In the scenario, participating navy ships utilized their air search radar and Electro Optical Tracking System to track, detect and locate the target towed drone that served as the enemy target.
Moreover, during the ASW event, HMAS Hobart released an EMATT wherein it served as a submerged target for participating ships to identify and locate. The activities were designed to showcase the coordinated capability on ASW search and surface to air tactics of the participating navies.
(PN)