Latest news with #ExerciseKAMANDAG9
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Simulates Missile Strikes on Warships at China Choke Point
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States has conducted a simulated military operation using anti-ship weapons during a war game in the Philippines, as China expands its naval presence in nearby contested waters. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry via email for comment. Why It Matters The Philippines—Washington's mutual defense treaty ally—is part of the First Island Chain, along with Japan and Taiwan, under the U.S. containment strategy, which seeks to restrict China's naval access to the wider Pacific Ocean by leveraging America-aligned territories. According to a Pentagon assessment, the Chinese military has the largest navy in the world by hull count, with more than 370 ships and submarines in service. The Chinese navy has been operating around the Philippines, including deploying an aircraft carrier in late May. During the ongoing Exercise KAMANDAG 9, the U.S. military deployed the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) to the Philippines' Batanes Islands in the Luzon Strait—a key gateway for China to access the waters east of the First Island Chain. What To Know The U.S. Marine Corps said that it had strategically positioned the NMESIS—a ground-based launcher armed with two Naval Strike Missiles with a 115-mile range—on Sunday on one of the Batanes Islands for simulated maritime interdiction during KAMANDAG 9. Maritime interdiction is defined by NATO as a naval operation intended to "delay, disrupt, or destroy" enemy forces or supplies en route to the battle area. The simulated operation was part of a rehearsal to secure and defend key maritime terrain, the U.S. Marine Corps stated. Following insertion by a transport aircraft onto the island, the anti-ship weapon was remotely operated from the airfield into a concealed position to interdict maritime targets, the U.S. Marine Corps added, supporting the maintenance of open sea lines of communication. Meanwhile, a "kill web" was formed to conduct maritime strikes, employing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets to "find, fix, and track" targets. According to the U.S. Marine Corps, no live-fire was conducted during each fire support rehearsal. The United States Marine Corps stages the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System to the Philippines' Batanes Islands as a part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 on May 25, 2025. The United States Marine Corps stages the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System to the Philippines' Batanes Islands as a part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 on May 25, 2025. Cpl. Malia Sparks/U.S. Marine Corps This simulated Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation (MKTSO) was carried out by the Third Marine Littoral Regiment, a Hawaii-based U.S. Marine Corps unit that specializes in amphibious and littoral, or shoreline, warfare operations and deploys across the Indo-Pacific region. In late April, the U.S. conducted another MKTSO using the NMESIS on Batan Island, simulating anti-ship strikes. The event coincided with the transit of a Chinese aircraft carrier through the Luzon Strait, moving between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. What People Are Saying The U.S. Third Marine Division said: "The synchronization of U.S.-Philippine forces during the KAMANDAG 9 MKTSO showcased the increased ability of the partnered militaries to coordinate complex, all-domain operations and further demonstrated the ironclad U.S.-Philippine alliance." Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Schrafft, U.S. Third Marine Littoral Regiment's fire support coordinator, said: "The constructive kills executed during the KAMANDAG 9 MKTSO are yet another example of the [Third Marine Littoral Regiment]'s proven value proposition to the Combined and Joint Force." What Happens Next The U.S. is likely to continue its military exercises with the Philippines featuring anti-ship weapons to counter China's naval threat. It remains unclear whether the NMESIS will stay in the Southeast Asian nation after Exercise KAMANDAG 9 concludes on Friday.
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Photos Show New US Missiles Sent to China's Doorstep
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States has once again deployed its NMESIS ship-sinking missile system on a Philippine island group for military drills, amid the presence of the Chinese navy in nearby waters. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters NMESIS stands for Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System—a U.S. Marine Corps ground-based launcher armed with two Naval Strike Missiles, capable of striking sea targets 115 miles away. It is designed for maritime warfare operations in the Pacific Ocean. During Exercise Balikatan 2025, held from April 21 to May 9 in the Philippines, the U.S. Marine Corps simulated anti-ship operations using NMESIS on Batan Island in the Luzon Strait—a key gateway for China's naval deployments beyond its surrounding waters. The Philippines plays a significant role in America's Indo-Pacific strategy. It is one of three nations—alongside Japan and Taiwan—that form a containment strategy known as the First Island Chain, aimed at restricting China's naval access to the broader Western Pacific Ocean. What To Know In a video released by the U.S. Marine Corps, a NMESIS launcher was shown being airlifted by a KC-130J transport aircraft to the Batanes Island chain—located north of the main Philippine island Luzon—on Sunday for the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation. The operation, aimed at rehearsing the defense of key maritime terrain, is part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9—a war game involving the U.S., the Philippines, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, scheduled from Monday to June 6 and taking place across the Philippines. Unlike Exercise Balikatan 2025, where no live missiles were launched by the NMESIS, the weapon will be employed in a live-fire drill during Exercise KAMANDAG 9 "if the weather permits," Philippine media outlet ABS-CBN reported, citing the country's marine corps. KAMANDAG—an acronym for the Filipino phrase "Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat," which translates to "Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea"—is an annual bilateral drill led by the U.S. and Philippine marine corps since 2016 to strengthen the allies' capabilities. This year's exercise underscored what the U.S. Marine Corps called the "global importance of maritime security," as well as the value of building "multinational maritime domain awareness," and a shared commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. A Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System is seen during the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation, part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in the Philippine Batanes Islands on May 25, 2025. A Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System is seen during the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation, part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in the Philippine Batanes Islands on May 25, 2025. Cpl. Malia Sparks/U.S. Marine Corps In addition to the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation, the exercise featured defensive counter-landing live-fire drills, littoral maneuvers, amphibious operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training, as well as various subject matter expert exchanges. What People Are Saying Colonel Jason C. Armas, commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 25.3 Marine Air-Ground Task Force, said: "Training shoulder to shoulder with our Philippine Marine Corps partners isn't just about building interoperability—it's about forging trust in the crucible of shared hardship and preparing together to respond with speed and precision to any crisis, anywhere, anytime." Major General Arturo G. Rojas, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, said: "This year's KAMANDAG is a testament to the enduring partnership between the Philippine Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps. By operating jointly in complex environments, we are strengthening our capability to defend the archipelago and contributing to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific." What Happens Next A Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System is seen after being transported by a KC-130J aircraft to the Batanes Islands during Exercise KAMANDAG 9 on May 25, 2025. A Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System is seen after being transported by a KC-130J aircraft to the Batanes Islands during Exercise KAMANDAG 9 on May 25, 2025. Cpl. Malia Sparks/U.S. Marine Corps It was unclear whether the NMESIS will remain in the Philippines after the conclusion of the exercise. A U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability missile system, which was initially deployed for exercises, has been stationed in the Southeast Asian country since April of last year.
