U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division fire M101 105mm and M777 155mm Howitzers alongside Philippine Marines during Balikatan 23 in Santa Juliana, Philippines. Balikatan 23 is the 38th iteration of the annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military. The exercise includes three weeks of training focused on amphibious operations, command and control, humanitarian assistance, urban operations and counterterrorism skills throughout northern and western Luzon. Coastal defense training figures prominently in the Balikatan 23 training schedule.
