A decommissioned Philippine Navy ship meant to be sunk in a live-fire exercise sank on its own Monday morning, canceling one of the key events in the ongoing U.S.-Philippine Balikatan military drills.
The BRP Miguel Malvar, an 81-year-old World War II-era patrol ship, was being towed to a designated target area about 30 nautical miles off Zambales province when it began sinking around 7:20 a.m., the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said. No one was onboard at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Elements of Balikatan 40-2025 MARSTRIKE live fire cancelled
The Balikatan 40-2025 Maritime Strike target vessel sank off the west coast of the Philippines prior to the event commencing today.
The decommissioned BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) took on water while being positioned… pic.twitter.com/ES5nriiCt1
— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) May 5, 2025
The BRP Miguel Malvar was selected as the main target for the maritime strike (MARSTRIKE) portion of the annual Balikatan exercise. The plan was to hit the ship with bombs, missiles, and cannon fire from both American and Philippine forces.
“As is common, the vessel was selected because it exceeded its service life and was no longer suitable for normal operations,” the AFP noted. The AFP said that before towing the target vessel to the operational area, it underwent environmental cleaning and preparation for the live-fire exercise.
Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos told the state-run Philippine News Agency that the ship was not damaged during towing, but sea conditions caused it to take on water and sink before the drill could begin.
The BRP Miguel Malvar was built during World War II as the USS Brattleboro and served in both the Atlantic and Pacific. It was later transferred to South Vietnam in the 1960s and then to the Philippine Navy in 1976. The Malvar remained in service until its decommissioning in 2021.
While the MARSTRIKE was cancelled, other parts of the Balikatan drills continued as planned.
EXERCISE BALIKATAN | PAF Soars in Balikatan Rescue Drill
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) showcased its Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) prowess during Exercise Balikatan 40-2025 off Iba, Zambales, from April 28-30. The 505th Search and Rescue Group (SRG), alongside U.S.… pic.twitter.com/J2vT5TqJm8
— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) May 6, 2025
Balikatan, which means “shoulder-to-shoulder” in Tagalog, is the largest joint U.S.-Philippine military exercise and runs from April 21 to May 9. This year’s drills include about 14,000 troops from the U.S. and the Philippines, with support from Australia and Japan.
