BASCO, Philippines—On a rocky, windswept island just over 100 miles south of Taiwan, U.S. troops from the Marines and Army ran out of MV-22 Osprey aircraft with weapons, including Javelin and Stinger missile launchers, before setting up camp next to a field of watermelons.
On the opposite side of the island, a Himars rocket launcher was brought ashore on Monday from an amphibious landing craft, a system that could give U.S. forces the ability to target ships up to a few hundred miles away.
The drills were part of the largest-ever annual military exercises between the U.S. and the Philippines, which this year for the first time included a focus on the defense of the northern Philippines and preparations for conflict if China moves to take Taiwan through force.