US Defense chief Austin visits Subic Bay

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III on Wednesday visited ship repair facilities in Subic Bay, Zambales to ensure their capacity to accommodate ships of the US Navy as well as allied countries in the region, Chino Gasto reported Wednesday on 24 Oras.

Austin is in the Philippines for the 4th Philippines-US Foreign and Defense Ministerial Dialogue (2+2 Dialogue), which is hosted by the Philippines for the first time.

On his second day in the country, Austin met with officials of Hyundai and Cerberus, companies who purchased the Hanjin Shipyard and have plans to construct a shipbuilding facility in what was once a major base of the United States Navy in the Western Pacific from 1945 to 1992.

“Today, we saw some of our industrial base, companies out here working together to create additional capability and that's also very very exciting, again we've come a long way in three and a half years in our relationship with the Philippines,” Austin told reporters.

US ships such as the fast transport USNS Millinocket, undergo regular maintenance at Subic Bay where Austin talked to some of its officers and crew.

Austin’s visit coincides with the expectation that the presence of US warships in the West Philippine Sea will increase.

One of the conditions for granting the $500 million in foreign military aid for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program is the selection of military equipment suitable for joint military operations.  

“Interoperability nga, 'yun ang importante sa lahat eh. So kaya 'yun, lahat nung equipment na ibibigay sa atin or that we would be getting from FMF (Foreign Military Financing) fund interoperable sa kanilang armed forces din, especially yung sa kanilang navy which is going to be very prevalent and present here in the West Philippine Sea,” Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said.

(It’s about interoperability. It’s very important. So, all the equipment that will be given to us or we would be getting from the FMF fund is interoperable in their armed forces, especially in their navy, which is going to be very prevalent and present here in the West Philippine Sea.)

“We're excited about that. that's gonna help them modernize their military a bit further,” Austin said.

Austin’s visit is part of a long-term plan to expand the capabilities of local ship companies to serve and repair the navy ships of the US and allied countries assigned in the region. —Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News