The multilateral maritime cooperative activities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with its counterparts from Australia, Canada, and the United States concluded successfully, a military official said Friday.

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP public affairs chief ,said the two-day exercise featuring a comprehensive array of naval and air assets from the participating nations ended around 6pm on Thursday.

General Romeo Brawner Jr., AFP chief of staff, praised the exercise's success, emphasizing its vital role in strengthening regional security and fostering deeper cooperation among allied nations.

"This multilateral exercise met our objectives of enhancing tactical capabilities and interoperability. The seamless coordination and execution of the planned activities highlight the strong defense relationships we share and our collective commitment to ensuring a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region," he said

Trinidad noted that "the exercise proceeded without any significant incidents and all objectives were met as planned, further solidifying the operational readiness and cooperation among the participating forces."

"The success of this MCA underscores the commitment of the Philippines and its allies to upholding international maritime security and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," he added.

The exercise was participated by BRP Jose Rizal with an AW159 helicopter and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz from the Philippine Navy; Poseidon Aircraft from Australia; HMCS Montreal with a Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter from Canada and the USS Lake Erie and a Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter from the United States.

The MCA included a series of meticulously planned events aimed at enhancing interoperability and cooperation among the participating forces. These activities encompassed communication exercises ,division tactics/officer of the watch maneuvers, a photographic exercise, cross-deck landing operations, anti-submarine warfare exercises and contact reporting/maritime domain awareness. Robina Asido/DMS