Capas: The Philippine Army (PA) wrapped up the third edition of its large-scale unilateral Combined Arms Training Exercise "Katihan" on Wednesday. The event formally ended with an "after activity review" (AAR) led by PA chief Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete at Training Command (TRACOM) headquarters in Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said in a statement Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Gen. Nafarrete and TRACOM commander Maj. Gen. Michael Logico presided over the review, which focused on different warfighting drills. These drills featured displaced civilian operations, littoral defense, mobile defense/retrograde operations, and area defense held at various training areas in Pangasinan and Ilocos Norte.

Dema-ala stated that the AAR delved into identifying training gaps and determining lessons learned throughout the three-week exercise to further improve the Army's key focus areas. These areas include strengthening command and control, sustainment, littoral defense, and reserve force integration.

The training exercise commenced on February 23 and recorded the largest number of participants in its history, with 4,222 soldiers from the PA's artillery, infantry, cavalry, signal, special operations forces, and reserve force units joining the drills. It also serves as the Army's preparation for upcoming U.S.-PH Salaknib-Balikatan Exercises and Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Exportable Exercise with the U.S. Army Pacific set in April and May.

"The PA continues to enhance its capability to project a combined arms brigade rapidly as part of its Land Defense Concept that involves large-force maneuver, sustainment, and warfighting functions in support to the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Operations and territorial defense," Dema-ala said.