Navy, Air Force start drill

May 30, 2017

The Philippine Navy (PN) and Air Force (PAF) have started this year interoperability exercise called “DAGIT” (Dagat-Langit). Lt. Junior Grade Maivi Neri,  public affairs officer of the Naval Forces West, said the Dagit exercise is integrated with two exercises dubbed as PAGSASAMA 2017 and PAGSISIKAP 2017. “Exercise “DAGIT” is a PN-PAF joint exercise to improve interoperability in addressing maritime security concerns,” she said. “PAGSISIKAP is a naval exercise to train the PN’s fleet and marine forces in amphibious operations, while PAGSASAMA aims to enhance the readiness and interoperability between the PN’s regular and reserve units,” she added. Neri said these annual joint and unilateral exercises have started in an opening ceremony that was led by Lt. Gen. Raul Del Rosario,  commander of the Western Command in Palawan last Monday. She said the exercises will be conducted in different areas of Puerto Princesa City and Palawan will last until June 9, 2017. In his remarks, Del Rosario stressed, “We, in WESCOM are proud to be chosen as the venue for these exercises this year. In fact, I believe that Palawan is indeed the right venue considering the maritime nature of our operations. This I say with the full understanding that doctrinal meaning of maritime encompasses both air and sea domains.” Neri noted that “these three exercises shall be simultaneously executed under Commander, Naval Forces West as the Officer Conducting Exercise (OCE) to test the integration of PN and PAF capabilities.” She noted that the exercises will be participated by the Philippine Fleet, the Philippine Marine Corps, and the Naval Reserve Command of the Philippine Navy as well as the Philippine Air Force personnel from 710th Special Operations Wing (SPOW) and 300TH Air Intelligence and Security Group (AISG). Neri said the emphasis of this year’s “training is on tactics, techniques, and procedures in the conduct of a range of joint operations among air, naval and ground forces deployed in Western Command Area of Responsibility (AOR). (Robina Asido/DMS)