The multinational Rim of the Pacific Exercise concluded this week with an amphibious landing trial.
The US was supposed to participate, but was sidelined when two of its biggest warships, USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) and USS Boxer (LHD-4), suffered mechanical failures.
In the end, Australia's HMAS Adelaide practised the amphibious assault almost by itself, assisted by the Filipino navy's new landing platform dock BRP Davao del Sur.
Analysts say that the failure of the warships indicates an "amphibious readiness gap" in the US Navy.
