Another installment of our WebSighting Feature, featuring websites of active airsoft teams around the world. Today, we're presenting to you FilForce, based in the US East Coast. Already going on its third year, Filforce is well know for its Balikatan Milsim event, a series of milsim events based on a story of cooperation between US and Philippine forces, which is officially termed as Balikatan, in their counter-terror operations in the Southern Philippines.

While the FilForce Balikatan event is a Milsim, it is actually based on actual stories of military operations by the Philippine armed forces, against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a small Jamiya Islamiya and Al Qaeda connected group, that has been a small thorn on the side of the Philippine government. It's the most violent terrorist group, and has conducted a series of kidnappings of foreigners, bombing of ships and public places, and provide sanctuary for training of terrorists in their jungle hideouts in the island province of Basilan. FilForce however, conducts its Balikatan version in the pine trees and fields of New York and New Jersey States.

Below is what FilForce have to say about themselves: 

Filforce is one of the biggest teams in the northeast United States with almost 100 members in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia. While its membership base is predominantly Filipino and Filipino-American, Filforce also boasts of members who are of Chinese, Nigerian and Korean descent.

Filforce members include diplomats, former military personnel and health, information technology and art professionals and some students. Filforce members not only share a passion for airsoft but also a genuine commitment to promote the sport that has a very large following in the Philippines where it has been played since the late Eighties.

HISTORY

Filforce was formally established on 3 January 2005 by Shogun, a Filipino diplomat assigned in New York whose vision was to share the Philippine airsoft experience with teams based in the East Coast.

A veteran airsoft player in the Philippines, Shogun started seeking out other Filipino airsoft enthusiasts in the New York area in the middle of 2004 and was eventually able to bring together the team’s six other founding members—Slyde, Glory, M23J, Triceratops, Jundel and Inkman. Filforce was eventually able to attract more members, including newly arrived immigrants from the Philippines.

At present, Filforce is being steered by Shogun and the other founding members. They are assisted by other members of the team.

FILFORCE & THE KATIPUNAN

Filforce draws its inspiration from the secret society Katipunan that led the Philippine revolution against Spain in 1896. Like the katipuneros of old, Filforce is made up of men and women who are bound by a creed that requires members to exhibit a strong sense of kinship or Kapatiran; great courage or Katapangan; loyalty or Katapatan; and dignity and honor or Karangalan.

Filforce’s Katipunan roots are evident in its team logo, which was derived from the personal red and white standard of Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio. The Filforce flag features an enhanced version of Bonifacio’s sun symbol to represent the East—Asia where most Filforce members trace their ethnic roots and the East Coast where team members are now based—that shines over a black background to symbolize the threatening unknown.

Filforce's membership classification is also patterned after the Katipunan with the leaders designated as bayani (patriots); members as kawal (soldiers); and recruits as katipun (associates).

FILFORCE IN ACTION

Filforce had its baptism of fire on 29 January 2005 when it played against a local squad in Glen Cove, Long Island. This was followed by Filforce’s first big airsoft encounters in Tolland, Massachusetts on 19 February and in Wrightstown, New Jersey on 17 April of the same year.

The team has since seen action in Coram and New Paltz, New York; East Hampton, Connecticut; Manchester and Netcong, New Jersey; and Poco Loco, Pennsylvania. Filforce made its formal debut in a team competition when it placed third in the Tolcom Team Challenge on 10 October.

Filforce became more active in the airsoft community in 2006 when it took part in bigger events such as the Katanga Chronicles in Netcong, New Jersey where Filforce members comprised the bulk of Opfor during Operation Freedoms Road in March; Operation Liberty Shield in June; and Operation Independent Will in November. Filforce was also present during the Battle for Tolland III in May and Tolcom Team Challenge in October. It also took part in Operation Viper in November.

Filforce consolidated itself in 2007 and saw its members taking part in Operation Titan's Grasp in March in Plattekill and Operation Burning Sun II in East Hampton in August. Filforce members also saw action in John Lu's Operation Northern Wind IV in Fort Pickett, Virginia in August 2007. It will be represented in Operation Irene V this October in Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Filforce made its debut at event organizing with September Rumble in Netcong in September 2006 and Manassas Strike in Virginia in October of the same year. In May 2007, Filforce staged its first big event under the Balikatan series with Operation Sulu Storm successfully being conducted at East Hampton. This was followed by Operation Basilan Fury in Lebanon, New Jersey in September. The third part of the Balikatan trilogy, Operation Zamboanga Thunder will take place in Philadelphia in November.

Filforce operates out of Firebase Whiskey in Lebanon, New Jersey.

Filforce has the distinction of being among the first airsoft teams in the United States and perhaps the biggest airsoft team in the world to use Multicam as its primary uniform.

Filforce is proudly sponsored by Krukspec, Airsoft One, Evike, Long Island Airsoft and Hot Spot Airsoft.