CaliToday (17/10/2025):
SOUTH CHINA SEA – The United States, the Philippines, and a growing contingent of their allies have commenced significant joint naval exercises in the South China Sea. The drills are aimed at enhancing interoperability and strengthening maritime security in a region facing increasing geopolitical tensions. The latest iteration of these exercises, codenamed "Sama Sama" (Tagalog for "Together"), is currently underway, underscoring a deepening defense cooperation among the participating nations.
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| Philippine, American, Japanese, Canadian and French forces sail together in the South China Sea as part of Sama Sama 2025. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force photo |
Running from October 6th to the 17th, Exercise Sama Sama 2025 brings together a formidable display of naval and aerial power. Alongside the US Navy and the Philippine Navy, this year's exercise features active participation from several other nations, including Japan, Canada, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom, with other countries participating as observers. This multinational presence highlights a unified stance on maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The comprehensive drills are being conducted in the waters off Palawan, a strategically vital Philippine province that faces the disputed South China Sea. The exercises are designed to cover a wide spectrum of maritime warfare capabilities. Participating forces are engaging in complex scenarios, including surface warfare drills, anti-submarine warfare exercises, maritime air support operations, and simulated maritime strikes. The goal is to refine tactical coordination and communication between the diverse military assets of the allied forces.
A key objective of Sama Sama 2025 is to bolster the Philippines' maritime defense capabilities. This is particularly significant given the recent series of assertive actions by China in the South China Sea, including the use of water cannons and ramming maneuvers against Philippine vessels. The joint exercises serve as a clear demonstration of the ironclad commitment of the United States and its allies to the Philippines' security and to the upholding of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This year's exercises follow the large-scale "Balikatan" (Shoulder-to-Shoulder) drills held earlier in 2025, which also saw a significant focus on maritime and coastal defense. The consistent and expanding nature of these joint military activities signals a strategic response to the evolving security landscape in the region.
Military officials have emphasized that the exercises are not directed at any single nation but are focused on ensuring stability and the freedom of navigation in these critical international waters. However, the drills are widely seen as a deterrent to Beijing's expansive territorial claims and coercive activities in the South China Sea. China has voiced its opposition to the exercises, claiming they threaten regional stability and could provoke an arms race.
The involvement of advanced military hardware, including warships, maritime patrol aircraft like the P-8A Poseidon, and special operations forces, in Exercise Sama Sama 2025, demonstrates the serious intent of the participating nations to enhance their collective defense posture. As these drills unfold, they send a strong message of unity and resolve in safeguarding maritime security and the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific.
