United States and Philippines conduct Balikatan 2026 exercise featuring HIMARS live-fire on 27 April 2026

Key facts

• The United States (US) Army deployed the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) from Palawan during the Balikatan 2026 exercise to reinforce archipelagic coastal defence.
• The exercise, running from 20 April to 8 May 2026, is the largest to date with over 17,000 troops involved, including approximately 10,000 from the US.
• Participating nations in the Palawan drills included the Philippines, the US, Australia, and New Zealand, while Japan joined the broader Balikatan exercise for the first time.
• The M142 HIMARS launcher used in the training was operated by the 5th Battalion, 3rd Artillery Regiment of the 7th Infantry Division/Multi-Domain Command-Pacific.
• The live-fire event on 27 April 2026 integrated multiple weapon systems including Stinger missiles, Javelin systems, and TOW missiles to validate readiness against simulated coastal assaults.