MANILA, Philippines - The Australian Defense Force (ADF) will train together with personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the latest iteration of Exercise Alon 25, considered the largest overseas exercise of the ADF this 2025.
According to a media statement, the ADF confirmed that it will train with AFP personnel at locations around the islands of Palawan and Luzon, from 15 August to 29 August 2025.
“We’re proud to conduct our largest overseas exercise with the Philippines, and continue to build on our close cooperation,” Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO CSC, RAN, said.
“Exercise Alon 25 is an opportunity for us to practise how we collaborate and respond to shared security challenges, and project force over great distances in the Indo-Pacific,” he added.
Jones also mentioned the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region by ensuring that international law is followed, through cooperation among forces.
“This exercise reflects Australia’s commitment to working with partners to ensure we maintain a region where state sovereignty is protected, international law is followed, and nations can make decisions free from coercion,” Jones said.
(L-R) Major General Francisco F Lorenzo Jr PA, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Exercise Director; General Romeo S Brawner Jr PA, Joint of Staff AFP; Dr Moya Collett, Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy to the Philippines; and Vice Admiral Alfonso F Torres Jr PN, Command, Western Command during the opening ceremony for Exercise ALON 25 at Camp Ricarte, Puerto Princesa City. (Caption and photo courtesy of Australian Defense Department / Photographer: CPL Adam Abela)
More than 3,600 personnel are participating in Exercise Alon 25, including members of the Royal Canadian Navy and the United States Marine Corps’ Marine Rotation Force – Darwin, the ADF statement said.
From its first iteration in 2023, Exercise Alon has grown to incorporate training across the maritime, sea and air domains, with essential support from cyber and space domains.
ADF participation this year includes an Australian Amphibious Force Joint Task Force Headquarters, Navy’s Hobart-class destroyer, HMAS Brisbane, an Army combined Arms Land Task Group and an Air Task Group of Super Hornets, Growlers and Hercules aircraft.
Exercise Alon 25 will see the ADF practise its joint force projection through the mass airlift of an Army battle group, comprising armoured, engineering, health and artillery elements.
Participating nations will also conduct amphibious landing operations and maritime manoeuvres.
Vice Admiral Jones underscored the value of the training, which comes from people-to-people links and the opportunity to exchange practices when conducting an Exercise of this scale.
“We will come away from Exercise Alon 25 with experience that will enhance our interoperability with the Philippines, and ensure that we can work together in support of regional security,” Jones mentioned.
Exercise Alon 25 will involve live fire exercises at military training ranges and in maritime areas. These activities will be conducted with due regard to the safety of the participants and wider community, including responsible advance public notification, while ensuring maximum training value, the ADF said.
