The U.S. and Philippines flew a joint patrol over the contested Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea guarded by Beijing's troops.

The Philippines and United States air forces conducted joint patrols over the South China Sea, specifically in the West Philippine Sea. This one-day exercise involved the participation of Philippine FA-50 fighter jets and U.

Air patrol exercise underscores Manila’s efforts to assert its maritime claims while testing US commitment to regional security, analysts say.