Overview
- Defense chiefs Pete Hegseth and Gilberto Teodoro announced the initiative on Friday on the sidelines of ASEAN defense meetings in Kuala Lumpur.
- A brigadier general or rear admiral will lead about 60 service members, according to a U.S. fleet statement provided Monday.
- Officials say the task force will focus on interoperability, exercise execution, and humanitarian assistance and disaster response preparedness.
- The effort excludes new combat forces, offensive operations, unilateral deployments, and permanent U.S. basing in the Philippines.
- Key details such as basing and start date were not disclosed, as leaders cite Chinese coercion including activity at Scarborough Shoal and reaffirm the Mutual Defense Treaty’s applicability across the South China Sea.