220328-N-JD834-0062

A CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 (HMH-466) prepares to transport U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division on the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48) during Balikatan 22. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades shared experiences. Balikatan, Tagalog for 'shoulder-to-shoulder,' is a longstanding bilateral exercise between the Philippines and the United States highlighting the deep-rooted partnership between both countries. Balikatan 22 is the 37th iteration of the exercise and coincides with the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Philippine security cooperation.