US and Philippines conduct joint military exercises in response to China's aggression.
The US Air Force has deployed two AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, the latest version of a gunship that first saw combat in Vietnam, to the Philippines for the annual Balikatan exercise involving about 17,000 US and Filipino troops. The aircraft, which have been practicing close air support with Filipino ground troops, are the first two gunships to be deployed in the Philippines since the Vietnam War. The AC-130J is a precision tool for defending ground forces and will be used to attack a decommissioned fishing boat during a live-fire exercise.