Hawaii Air Guard, Philippine Air Force Strengthen Partnership

PAMANGA, Philippines - Hawaii Air National Guard and Philippine Air Force personnel strengthened air defense interoperability Sept. 14-18 during a Ground Radar Air Defense Subject Matter Expert Exchange held at multiple locations across the Philippines.

The exchange focused on ground radar operations, air battle management, intelligence integration and organizational support functions, with training designed to improve skills and integration between both forces.

"The ground radar air defense subject matter expertise is critical because, in holding these exchanges, we ensure our interoperability and our tactics, techniques and procedures are all aligned," said Senior Master Sgt. Jennie Hale, 169th Air Defense Squadron command and control battle management operations specialist. "In case we need to integrate and work with the Philippine Air Force, we have that alignment with their similar experts and operators."

The exchange was part of the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, in which the Hawaii National Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines have been paired since 2000. The program pairs state National Guard organizations with partner-nation militaries, security forces and disaster-response organizations to strengthen relationships, build capacity and improve interoperability.

Hawaii Air National Guard air defense experts worked alongside Philippine Air Force radar operators, air battle managers, weapons directors and surveillance operators throughout the exchange. Practical training and simulated air defense scenarios were conducted at Wallace Air Station, while engagements at Clark Air Base and the Philippine Air Defense Command Center at Villamor Air Base focused on tabletop discussions, coordination and cultivating relations.

The Philippine Air Force identified several training priorities ahead of the engagement, allowing planners to tailor its team and customize the curriculum.

Training included mission planning and intelligence incorporation, air defense command concepts, radar safety, maintenance practices and organizational structure. Participants also examined how support functions integrate with operational air defense units to accomplish the broader air defense mission.

"This year's engagement, we hope to build on the air battle manager and operations side of things," Hale said. "But we also wanted to re-engage with our ground radar expertise, which is why we also brought two radar operators as subject matter experts."

A highlight of the exchange was integrating intelligence inputs into simulated air defense scenarios, allowing participants to react to exercise inputs in a practical setting. The training culminated in several simulated air defense exercises, moving the exchange beyond discussion and into hands-on application.

On the radar side, Philippine personnel examined Hawaii Air National Guard practices involving radar safety, maintenance and the integration of support and operational functions.

"I wanted to impart on my Philippine counterparts that integrity and a safety-first mindset are of utmost importance in radar maintenance," said Senior Master Sgt. Eugene Mariano, 297th Combat Airfield Operations Squadron radar airfield weather systems superintendent. "You cannot operate properly if you cannot operate safely."

Mariano has participated in the engagement with the Philippines since 2014. With his retirement approaching, this year's exchange marked his final opportunity to take part in the long-running engagement and share more than a decade of experience with Philippine counterparts.

Mariano, who also works for the Federal Aviation Administration in a civilian capacity, brought an additional perspective on the importance of civilian-military coordination in air defense operations.

"I tried to impart the importance of lessening the gap and bridging bureaucracy, strategy and continuity by finalizing agreements with their civilian counterpart agencies," Mariano said.

The Hawaii National Guard and the Philippines first conducted air defense engagements in 2013. Those early iterations focused mostly on academic briefings and professional exchanges. More recent engagements expanded to include hands-on simulation, shifting from information sharing to practical application.

"For most of the engagements we did mostly academics, briefings," Hale said. "Starting in 2024, we translated that into hands-on training, and that's when we started doing simulations with the Philippine Air Force. Now our subject matter expert exchange is no longer just informational. It's in practice."

The engagement also continues to strengthen professional relationships developed throughout decades of cooperation. Hale said Hawaii's large Filipino-American community provides an additional cultural connection for some participants, although the partnership extends beyond shared heritage.