State Partnership Program

Video by Cpl. Malia Sparks

KAMANDAG 9: 3d MLR inserts NMESIS into Batanes Islands via KC-130J for MKTSO

3d Marine Division

May 25, 2025 | 4:44

U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, insert the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System via a KC-130J Super Hercules assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352 into the Batanes Island chain during the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation as a part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in the Philippines, May 25, 2025. The MKTSO involved elements of 3d MLR, U.S. Soldiers with 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, and Philippine Marines with Marine Battalion Landing Team 10 inserting via air and sea into various islands in the Batanes and Babuyan Island chains in order to rehearse securing and defending key maritime terrain with the NMESIS, Marine Air Defense Integrated System, and High Mobility Rocket Artillery System. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Malia Sparks)