Exercise Alon 25 begins in the Philippines

Defence has embarked on its largest overseas exercise for 2025, with the launch of Exercise Alon 25 in the Philippines today.

Personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Australian Defence Force (ADF) will train together at locations around the islands of Palawan and Luzon between 15 and 29 August.

Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones AO CSC, RAN, said Exercise Alon 25 demonstrated the strength of the Australian-Philippines security partnership.

“We’re proud to conduct our largest overseas exercise with the Philippines, and continue to build on our close cooperation,” Vice Admiral Jones 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.”

“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.”

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.

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.

“The value of this training comes from the people-to-people links and the opportunity to exchange practices when we conduct an Exercise of this scale,” Vice Admiral Jones said.

“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 regional security.”

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. 

Media note               

Information about Exercise Alon 25 is available at https://www.defence.gov.au/defence-activities/exercises/alon.

Imagery and vision of this Exercise Alon 25 is available at http://images.defence.gov.au/S20251939.