10-07-2025
No NMESIS missiles fired during Balikatan 2025
The United States Pacific Fleet on Thursday clarified that there was no Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) that was test-fired during the annual joint military drills between Manila and Washington last April.
A spokesperson for the US Pacific Fleet refuted an earlier statement by US Navy Admiral Steve Koehler that such a missile system was fired in the Balikatan exercises.
'During the closing remarks of the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium in Manila, Philippines, July 10, US Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, commander, US Pacific Fleet, misspoke when he stated in his speech that the United States test-fired the NMESIS during Balikatan. The NMESIS was deployed during Balikatan and took part in battle drills, but no missiles were fired,' the statement from the US Pacific Fleet read.
During the closing ceremony of the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium in Manila, Koehler said that NMESIS was used in a test fire during the joint military exercise held in Luzon. But he did not give further details.
NMESIS is a ground-based anti-ship missile system deployed by the United States Marine Corps' (USMC) Marine Littoral Regiments for coastal defense and maritime security operations. The Naval Strike Missile has a range of up to 300 kilometers.
The Philippine Marine Corps and the USMC also trained with NMESIS during the Kamandag Exercise in May.
The Philippine Navy has said that the NMESIS will remain in the country for future military drills.
NMESIS is the second advanced missile system from the US to be present in Philippine territory. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
