U.S. Marines Use Commercial Ferries to Haul Anti-ship Missiles Across the Philippines

MANILA, PHILIPPINES ― Marine anti-ship missile launchers and air defense rolled off contracted Philippine commercial transport vessels onto an island in the middle of the Luzon Strait near Taiwan during drills earlier this month. The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) worked with their Philippine counterparts to transport the unit’s maritime strike and air defense systems to Calayan Island during the 10th iteration of the Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat drills, according to a news release published June 20 by the U.S. Marine Corps. Abbreviated as KAMANDAG, the Marine drills have gradually shifted toward coastal defense activities facing the South