US, Philippine armies conduct artillery training at Salaknib 25

LUAR, Philippines — U.S. Army Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division were joined by Philippine Army Soldiers from C Battery, 9th Field Artillery Battalion to conduct artillery live-fire training during Salaknib 25 on April 1, 2025.

Army artillery live-fire training involves firing artillery weapons under controlled conditions to prepare soldiers for real world scenarios. The training includes using various artillery systems, such as Howitzers and mortars, and focuses on key aspects such as targeting, coordination and safety procedures.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Roedaneyel Baluyut, a canon crew member with the 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment, participated in the training, honing his skills and operational readiness.

“Training here is different from training in the United States,” said Baluyut. “Right now, we are in an unknown terrain, especially for us. The Philippine Army has helped us out a lot, providing valuable knowledge on terrain, weather, and local conditions.”

Interoperability between the Philippine and U.S. armies in the realm of field artillery is a critical aspect of their military cooperation. This collaboration enhances both countries' defense capabilities and fosters enhanced U.S.-Philippine partnerships.

“The coolest thing that I’ve learned from our Philippine counterparts is how similar they operate compared to us,” said Pfc. Dennis Vastaneda, fire control specialist of the 2nd Battalion, 11th Field Artillery Regiment. “Both nations engage in bilateral training exercises, allowing artillery units from each army to practice interoperability and coordination.”

In both the Philippine and U.S. armies, field artillery plays a critical role in providing fire support to infantry and armored units. Artillery suppresses enemy positions, provides covering fire, and enhances the overall effectiveness of ground operations.

“Partnering with allied nations is a great experience,” said Baluyut. “We learn how they operate and vice versa, what we learn from them, we’ve been working on applying for us to be more efficient, accurate, and always ready.”

Salaknib 25 is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust and cooperation, which have been built over decades of shared experiences.