MANILA, April 21 -- This year's "Balikatan" military exercises between Filipino and American troops will conduct drills that will go through the full spectrum of military operations to assess the readiness of the participating soldiers, according to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.

"Across the vibrant expanse of Luzon, Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao, we will assess our readiness in all domains -- air, land, sea, cyber, information, cognitive and the emerging frontier of space -- through comprehensive exercises that integrate tactical precision with strategic foresight," he said in his speech during the Balikatan opening ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City Monday.

An estimated 14,000 soldiers ...