USNI News

U.S., Philippine, and French amphibs and frigates drew the attention of Chinese surveillance ships and surface combatants as they sailed out of Philippine territorial waters into the disputed waters of the South China Sea over the weekend during Manila’s largest annual military exercise.

The combined force, composed of USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), BRP Davao del Sur (LD 602), BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) and FS Vendémiaire (F 734), departed Puerto Princesa last Thursday to kick off the multilateral maritime exercise component of Balikatan 2024 with Chinese warships nearby.

Sailing to their planned exercise areas in the South China Sea, the ships were within Philippine archipelagic waters in the Sulu Sea during an uneventful first day at sea. However, after exiting territorial waters, at least two People’s Liberation Army Navy spy ships were spotted shadowing the multinational formation on Saturday.

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