IN an archipelagic nation of 7,641 islands, with a coastline stretching 36,289 kilometers that is the sixth longest in the world, and an exclusive economic zone measuring 2.2 million square kilometers, the Philippines has about 115,000 soldiers in the Philippine Army, about 26,200 sailors and Marines in the Philippine Navy, and roughly 20,570 aviators and airmen in the Philippine Air Force that make up the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

From the vestiges of war, the forebears of the AFP fought primarily internal security threats. From the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front and the Moro secessionist movements to the Islamic extremist Abu Sayyaf Group and the Daesh-inspired Maute Group, the military faced these national security challenges with the basic skills of 'shoot, move, communicate.'