Manila, May 3 -- Armored fighting vehicles from the Philippine Army (PA) and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) completed their first combined live-fire exercise in Capas, Tarlac over the weekend.

In a statement, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said the exercise was part of the "Salaknib" drills at Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Santa Juliana.

The "Salaknib" (shield in Ilocano) with the United States Army Pacific started in 2015.

This is Japan's first time to join the annual exercise.

Dema-ala said more than 200 Filipino troops from the 1st Tank Battalion took part in the drills, utilizing four Sabrah light tanks.

JGSDF deployed 40 members of the 12th Brigade Recon Combat Battalion and four maneuver combat vehicles.

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