PH, US hold bilateral air patrol over West Philippine Sea

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The exercises will cover 'part' of Scarborough Shoal, a feature that's within the Philippine exclusive economic zone but that China has controlled since 2012

MANILA, Philippines – The air forces of the Philippines and the United States conducted, for the first time in 2025, a bilateral bomber air patrol over the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said Tuesday, February 4. The exercise took place over the West Philippine Sea, including “part” of the contested Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. 

“This exercise is a crucial step in enhancing our interoperability, improving air domain awareness and agile combat employment and supporting our shared bilateral air objectives,” PAF spokesperson Colonel Maria Consuelo Padilla said in a press briefing. 

The exercise will involve the two of the PAF’s FA-50 aircraft, as well as two of the US Pacific Air Forces’ B-1 aircraft. The drills started Tuesday afternoon. The aircraft from the Philippines and the US were set to rendezvous off the west coast of the Philippines before proceeding to conduct “bilateral air patrols, air intercept training, and photo exercises,” all within the Philippine exclusive economic zone. 

Bajo de Masinloc is a high-tide elevation that’s located just over 120 nautical miles from Zambales province in the Philippines. While it’s well within the Philippines’ EEZ, it is claimed by the Philippines and China, among others. It is a traditional fishing spot for Filipino, Chinese, and Vietnamese fisherfolk, but Beijing has controlled the shoal since 2012 following a standoff between Philippine and Chinese maritime forces. 

China claims most of the South China Sea, including areas in the Philippines’ EEZ. China has regularly harassed Philippine vessels — from the civilian coast guard or fisherfolk — that try to approach Scarborough Shoal. At least one China Coast Guard (CCG) ship patrols the entrance to the shoal’s lagoon at all times. 

Two PAF FA-50 fighter aircraft in flight formation with two U.S. PACAF B-1 aircraft during the joint Air Patrols and Air Intercept Training over the West Philippine Sea on February 4, 2025.

Padilla insisted that the Tuesday drills is “not in relationship to a particular issue,” even as the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) earlier raised alarm over the incursions of the Chinese Navy and the CCG into the Philippine EEZ and even the country’s territorial waters. “This is just part of the usual training we have under the mutual defense board, security engagement board, lined up trainings or activities for the year,” she added.

This is not the first time for the US and Philippine conducted military drills at sea, or the air over the West Philippine Sea. Since 2023, the two countries have held maritime and air drills with each other, or in multilateral exercises involving countries like Australia, Japan, Canada, and New Zealand. – Rappler.com