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Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Marines, Army deploying missile systems to Luzon Strait
Marine Corps and Army missile systems are set to deploy to a key chokepoint in the Philippine Island chains for anti-ship drills during the military exercise known as KAMANDAG. The unmanned, anti-ship Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, and the Army's High Mobility Rocket Artillery System will feature prominently in the exercise with their emplacement between Luzon and Taiwan, U.S. Naval Institute reported. The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment's NMESIS is heading to Batanes, the northernmost portion of Philippine territory. The platform first reached the island of Basco and Batan for Balikatan 2025, a maritime security exercise. This unit will be the next to field the ship-killing missile system That was the first time the Marines deployed the anti-ship missile to the Luzon Strait. 'The insertion of the NMESIS on Batan during Exercise Balikatan 25's MKTSO was an achievement of a major milestone not just for 3rd MLR, but for the entire U.S. Marine Corps enterprise, signifying advancements in the service's equipment fielding to employment timelines,' said Col. John G. Lehane, commanding officer of the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment. 'In a matter of months, the NMESIS went from an experimental asset undergoing the rigorous initial operational testing and evaluation spearheaded by Marine Corps Systems Command and the program office, to a fully fielded weapon system capable of neutralizing the threat of adversarial vessels in contested littoral zones.' Marine Rotational Force-Darwin will conduct corps-level command and control. The 3rd MLR will deploy their missile battery to Batanes using KC-130J transport aircraft, USNI reported. 'KAMANDAG 9 is a clear demonstration of the strength of the U.S.-Philippine alliance and our ironclad commitment to regional security and combined readiness,' said Col. Jason C. Armas, commanding officer of the MRF-D 25.3 MAGTF. '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.' The exercise is scheduled to run from May 26 to June 6 and will take place across the Philippine archipelago, including Luzon, Batanes, Tawi-Tawi and Palawan, according to a release. Training events include maritime key terrain security operations, defensive counter-landing live-fire drills, littoral maneuver, amphibious operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, according to the release. Japanese and Korean forces are scheduled to conduct amphibious drills in the province of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, a key area of control for any potential conflict with Beijing. The Army HIMARs will be transported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines alongside the Marine anti-ship systems. The service deployed the launchers during Balikatan 2024. The missile units will rehearse maritime strikes in the Luzon Strait. Those systems can cover the 250-kilometer-wide strait through fires and sensors, USNI reported. The 3rd MLR used a network of ground-based sensors and drones across Batanes and the Babuyan Islands during previous exercises. Those operations included the Philippine territory of Mavulis, less than 90 miles from Taiwan.
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Photos Show New US Missiles Sent to China's Doorstep
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. 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. 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. 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. 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." 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. Related Articles Iran Threatens Strike on Israel as US Talks Hang in BalanceUS Military Pullback in Africa Opens Door for China and RussiaTrump Says Iran Deal Close To Avoid 'A Lot of People Dead'List of Fast Food Chain Hours for Memorial Day 2025 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
