Air Force Gen. Randall Reed, who leads U.S. Transportation Command, held talks with Lt. Gen. Jimmy Larida, deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson. The discussions focused on the countries’ enduring bilateral military relationship, increasing logistics cooperation, and the importance in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Reed’s visit — the first to the Philippines in his current role — underscored the U.S. Department of Defense’s commitment to bolstering regional mobility and resilience as the Indo-Pacific emerges as a central theater for contested logistics. USTRANSCOM, based at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, coordinates the air, land, and sea transport of troops, fuel, and military equipment worldwide.
Defense officials say the Indo-Pacific’s dense geography, contested sea lanes, and growing competition over strategic infrastructure have made logistics coordination more urgent across the region.
“The U.S.-Philippine relationship is ironclad,” Reed said. “For decades, our militaries have stood shoulder-to-shoulder, working together to deter aggression and uphold the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region.”
Larida, a veteran of internal security operations, is now focused on regional deterrence.
“Contested logistics is a reality for the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Larida said. “That’s why we are modernizing our force and working alongside the United States.”
Reed and Larida also reviewed access coordination for airfields, ports, and logistics sites across the islands — areas increasingly viewed as critical to rapid disaster response and military mobility.
Separately, Reed met with Ambassador Carlson to discuss the broader diplomatic framework guiding defense coordination. The talks included the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which allows U.S. forces to rotate through select Philippine military bases.
Ambassador Carlson described logistics access as foundational to alliance credibility. “It’s about having the shared ability, resources and positioning to act when it matters most,” she said.
Reed echoed this sentiment, noting that what matters most is that forces and material are situated so that he can quickly maneuver assets, sustain operations, and respond in contested spaces.
The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, signed in 1951, commits both nations to aid each other in case of armed conflict. The United States also designated the Republic of the Philippines as a major non-NATO ally since 2003.
