Troops from the Philippines and the US have held live firing drills at a military camp north of Manila as part of their annual war games. The troops participated in a mock cooperative assault using ground and air assets to secure the area.

The drill also staged a live demonstration of two High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems using reduced-ranged practice rockets. About 8-thousand Filipino and American soldiers joined the two-week military exercises.

Filipino defence officials said the drills focus on command and control, communications, logistics and mobility procedures to address humanitarian and maritime security.  The two allies recently agreed to a greater US military presence and the storage of equipment in five military bases in the region.