THE Philippine Navy announced on Monday, September 25, 2023, that it successfully conducted its Joint 3rd Quarter Naval Gun Test Firing and Capability Demonstration off Basilan.

The Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) said in a statement the test firing and capability demonstration was conducted on Saturday, September 23, at the vicinity five nautical miles southeast of Dasalan, an island village of Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.

The NFWM said four vessel of the Naval Task Force-61 (NTF-61) and two from the 1st Boat Attack Division participated in the joint exercise.

The NTF-61 vessels include BRP General Mariano Alvarez (PS38), BRP Nestor Acero (PG901), BRP Domingo Deluana (PG905), and BRP Florencio Iñigo and from 1st Boat Attack Division include BA485 and BA487.

The NFWM said the demonstration included live gunnery exercises, swarming tactics and coordinated maneuvers, all aimed at evaluating the performance of naval weaponry and the overall operational capabilities of the participating vessels.

The NFWM said the exercise aims to evaluate and ensure the operability, accuracy and effective operation of all naval combat systems, including the skills of the gun crew and fire control operators aboard the Navy vessels.

The area of operations of the NFWM cover all areas under the jurisdiction of the Western Mindanao Command.(SunStar Zamboanga)