U.S. and Philippines Hold Naval Drills with Allies in the South China Sea

The Philippines and its allies, including Canada, Japan and the U.S., kicked off the maritime phase of Exercise Sama Sama 2024 in the South China Sea this week.  Derived from the Southeast Asian-focused Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training series of maritime security exercises, the originally bilateral exercise has grown to become Manila’s premier multilateral naval drill. This year’s Sama Sama, translating to “together” in Tagalog, includes high-end training activities for the Philippine Navy, including over-the-horizon targeting, counter-unmanned aerial system drills and hunting a simulated submarine with allied ships.  While the Philippine Navy has been slowly modernizing with new warships and