Four-nation exercise in the Philippines scored many firsts, ends with farewells stripes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stripes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Lal-lo Airport is one of nine facilities in the Philippines approved for use by U.S. troops, but it has seen little investment and few improvements recently. Even so, U.S. and Philippine forces are making the best of the situation at the spartan airport during this year’s annual Balikatan exercise.
The U.S. Army for the first time has deployed Patriot missile launchers to this sprawling facility shared by commercial and military aircraft north of Manila.
The country’s defenses will be greatly beefed by the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” C. Teodoro Jr. said on Monday. “How can EDCA sites help protect the Philippines? The Philippine government together with the United States government as our treaty partner…