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<\/a> \u201cWe are training with the Philippine Armed Forces. Their navy, marines, army and air force have all come out here to review our equipment and discuss partner capabilities,\u201d Bishop said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been fascinated in learning what the host nation uses for air defense and discovering a lot of the [system] language is common.\u201d<\/p>\n During the demonstrations, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Antoine Brown, an Avenger Air Defense System team chief with the 204th, was thrilled to discover their Philippine counterparts were just as enthusiastic about learning as the Guard members were about teaching.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were asking questions that master gunners are supposed to ask, so we let them get in the turret atynd spin it around. They want to learn, and they\u2019re eager to know how the system works,\u201d said Brown. \u201cI\u2019ll bet you if we took them for about two weeks, we could have a team up and running.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown added that in addition to the hands-on portion of the exchange, their counterparts\u2019 interest also spoke to the overarching importance of regional security.<\/p>\n \u201cTo see them asking those questions shows how collaborative they want to be and shows they know the importance of the U.S. being here,\u201d said Brown, adding that it demonstrated how the exercise contributed to strengthening partner capability in the Indo-Pacific.<\/p>\n The 204th\u2019s participation in the 38th iteration of the annual bilateral exercise culminated with a live fire April 25. Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and senior Philippine and Australian armed forces members witnessed the event. The Guard members used their Avenger Air Defense Systems, armed with Stinger missiles and .50-caliber machine guns, to shoot down simulated drones.<\/p>\n
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\n U.S. Army Sgt. Andre Epps, an Avenger Air Defense System crew member with the Mississippi Army National Guard\u2019s 1st Battalion, 204th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, facilitates an Avenger Air Defense System demonstration while a member of the Philippine Army controls the turret in San Narciso, Philippines, April 22, 2023. Guard members participated in Exercise Balikatan 2023, the 38th iteration of the annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and American counterparts.
\n (Photo Credit: Sgt. 1st Class Whitney Hughes)<\/span>
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