Philippine Army and U.S. Army combat engineers trained together in the Combat Engineer Simulation Exercise which is part of the series of Balikatan Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) at the 1st Brigade Combat Team Demo Range, Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija on April 21, 2023.
Combat engineers from both armies fired a Bangalore torpedo in the first phase and the Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System (APOBS) in the second phase. A Bangalore torpedo, an explosive charge placed within one or several connected tubes, is used by combat engineers to clear obstacles that would otherwise require them to approach the target directly. Meanwhile, APOBS is an explosive line charge system that allows safe breaching through complex antipersonnel obstacles, particularly on land mine fields.
The said exercise highlighted the interoperability of Philippine Army and U.S. Army combat engineers in Obstacle Reduction and Elimination. It also bolstered their capability to provide “close-in” demining capability in support of maneuver forces.
More than 17,000 Filipino and U.S. soldiers are training side by side in the ongoing 38th iteration of Exercise Balikatan. The Combat Engineer Simulation Exercise is part of the series of capability development trainings that enhance Filipino and American soldiers’ tactics, techniques, and procedures across a range of military operations.
Photos and video by Corporal Josel P Sucayan PA/OACPA