Maj. Matthew Lowery, the fires and effects coordinator for Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, greets a Filipino service member during Exercise Alon's opening ceremony in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, Aug. 15, 2025. (Keegan Jones/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines have launched amphibious training in the Philippines with Filipino and Australian troops, shortly after completing a disaster-response mission in the country’s north.
Members of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin joined Exercise Alon, which began Friday and runs through Aug. 29 on the islands of Luzon and Palawan, the unit said in a news release Monday.
Alon, first held in 2023, is Australia’s largest overseas exercise with the Philippines, Australian chief of joint operations Vice Adm. Justin Jones said Friday in a statement from the Department of Defence.
The 2,500-member Marine force began a six-month deployment to Australia’s Northern Territory in March but has participated in at least five exercises in the Philippines this year.
Last month, Marines helped deliver food and other supplies to northern communities affected by typhoons, tropical storms and monsoon rains.
“The pivot from crisis response to Exercise Alon is a testament of the relationships we’ve built with our regional partners and another chance to prove them in the field,” Col. Jason Armas, the rotational force’s commander, said in the release.
Alon — meaning “wave” in Tagalog — includes maritime security training. The Marines’ contribution involves a headquarters element, a reinforced rifle company and an aviation detachment, according to the release.
More than 3,600 personnel are taking part, including forces from Canada.
The training comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have clashed over disputed territory.
On Aug. 11, a Chinese navy ship collided with a Chinese coast guard vessel while trying to drive the Philippine coast guard away from Scarborough Shoal, about 140 miles west of Luzon. Two days later, the destroyer USS Higgins sailed past the shoal in a freedom-of-navigation operation.
Scarborough Shoal — one of many small rock formations in the South China Sea — is 750 nautical miles from mainland China, but that hasn’t stopped Chinese fishermen excavating live coral and harvesting endangered species such as giant clams without permission from the Philippines.
During Alon, MV-22B Osprey aircraft from Hawaii-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 363 will drop Australian and Philippine special forces paratroops, according to the release. The Ospreys will also insert U.S. and Philippine troops alongside Philippine UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to simulate seizing key terrain, while Philippine and Australian forces conduct a simultaneous amphibious raid.
The exercise includes a live-fire maritime strike with forces integrating command and control, aviation, logistics and fire, the release said.
Australia, like the United States, has a visiting forces agreement with the Philippines that allows for troop deployments between the countries.
Australia has deployed HMAS Brisbane, ground forces, F/A-18F Super Hornet fighters, EA-18G electronic attack aircraft and a C-130J Super Hercules to this month’s drills, according to the Defence Department.
“This exercise reflects Australia’s commitment to working with partners to ensure we maintain a region where state sovereignty is protected, international law is followed, and nations can make decisions free from coercion,” Jones said.
