US surveillance aircraft joining PH naval exercise

An American surveillance aircraft will be participating in inter-agency naval exercises in Mindanao this week, the Davao City-based Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao said.

The NFM said a US Navy P3C Orion will be joining the second phase of Coast Watch South Capability Exercise 2012, which will involve the Philippine Navy and 10 local government agencies in Davao City (Region 11) and General Santos City (Region 12).

The P3C Orion is described as a "land-based, long-range, anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft" by the website of the US Naval Air Systems Command.

CAPEX 2012 will simulate actual operations of the Coast Watch System and coastal watch stations in addressing maritime security in Eastern Mindanao.

The exercise will be conducted in the vicinity of Maasim Point, Sarangani Bay. 

The Philippine Navy hopes to enhance information sharing and combined inter-operability capability with the participating agencies, among them the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Immigration, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Bureau of Customs, among others.-Interaksyon (September 01, 2012 4:52PM)