Latest news with #Navy-MarineExpeditionaryShipInterdictionSystem
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Ally Keeps American Missiles at Choke Point Near China
The Philippines, a mutual defense treaty ally of the United States, said that an American missile system capable of sinking warships will remain in the country for training purposes. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command for comment via email. The Chinese defense and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, is a ground-based launcher equipped with two missiles designed to target enemy ships. It is part of the U.S. Marine Corps' maritime strategy in the Pacific, where China is expanding its naval presence. The American anti-ship missile system was first deployed to the Philippines in late April for Exercise Balikatan 2025 and remained in the country for Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in late May. It participated in the drills from the Philippines' Batanes Islands in the Luzon Strait. The waterway located north of the Philippines serves as a key gateway through the First Island Chain for China's naval deployments into the broader Pacific. The island defense line, comprising Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines, is designed to keep China's navy in check. Captain John Percie Alcos, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, said on Tuesday that the NMESIS remains in the country, where it will be used to train the Philippine Marine Corps. He declined to disclose the location of the U.S. missile system, citing operational security. The announcement comes after a pair of Chinese aircraft carriers, the CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong,transited near the Philippines for deployments beyond the First Island Chain. Without naming a specific country, the official said that the presence of the NMESIS, capable of striking targets over 115 miles away, serves as a deterrent to those who intend to conduct "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions" against the Philippines. The Philippines has territorial disputes with China over maritime features in the South China Sea, often resulting in confrontations and clashes between their naval forces. Washington has reaffirmed its security commitment to Manila under a 1951 mutual defense treaty. The NMESIS became the second U.S. missile system stationed in the Philippines following joint exercises. A U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system has remained in the Southeast Asian country "indefinitely" after participating in a drill in April last year. Captain John Percie Alcos, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, at a press briefing on Tuesday: "The NMESIS will remain here in our country for as long as training opportunities are still there for us, for us to use that particular military equipment so that our Marines can better conduct combined operations with their counterparts." The U.S. Third Marine Division, in a press release in April: "The NMESIS provides [the U.S. Third Marine Littoral Regiment] with enhanced sea denial capability, deepens naval integration, and strengthens deterrence by extending the Joint Force's ability to target and engage from both land and sea. In the Philippines, the NMESIS will also aid in shaping defensive capabilities in accordance with the [the Armed Forces of the Philippines]'s coastal defense strategy." It remains to be seen whether the Philippines will consider acquiring the NMESIS to counter threats posed by the Chinese navy, the world's largest by hull count. The U.S. has been equipping its Pacific allies and partners with various types of anti-ship missile systems. Related Articles Video Shows Chinese 'Militia' Ship Near US Ally's Disputed TerritoryFootage Shows Chinese Ships Near US Ally's Disputed Island BaseVideo Shows US Ally Confronting China in Contested WatersUS Ally Sends Strong Warning to China 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Ally Keeps American Missiles at Choke Point Near China
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 Philippines, a mutual defense treaty ally of the United States, said that an American missile system capable of sinking warships will remain in the country for training purposes. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command for comment via email. The Chinese defense and foreign ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why It Matters The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, is a ground-based launcher equipped with two missiles designed to target enemy ships. It is part of the U.S. Marine Corps' maritime strategy in the Pacific, where China is expanding its naval presence. The American anti-ship missile system was first deployed to the Philippines in late April for Exercise Balikatan 2025 and remained in the country for Exercise KAMANDAG 9 in late May. It participated in the drills from the Philippines' Batanes Islands in the Luzon Strait. The waterway located north of the Philippines serves as a key gateway through the First Island Chain for China's naval deployments into the broader Pacific. The island defense line, comprising Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines, is designed to keep China's navy in check. What To Know Captain John Percie Alcos, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, said on Tuesday that the NMESIS remains in the country, where it will be used to train the Philippine Marine Corps. He declined to disclose the location of the U.S. missile system, citing operational security. The announcement comes after a pair of Chinese aircraft carriers, the CNS Liaoning and CNS Shandong, transited near the Philippines for deployments beyond the First Island Chain. Without naming a specific country, the official said that the presence of the NMESIS, capable of striking targets over 115 miles away, serves as a deterrent to those who intend to conduct "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions" against the Philippines. The Philippines has territorial disputes with China over maritime features in the South China Sea, often resulting in confrontations and clashes between their naval forces. Washington has reaffirmed its security commitment to Manila under a 1951 mutual defense treaty. The NMESIS became the second U.S. missile system stationed in the Philippines following joint exercises. A U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system has remained in the Southeast Asian country "indefinitely" after participating in a drill in April last year. U.S. Marines operate the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System in the Philippines on May 27, 2025. U.S. Marines operate the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System in the Philippines on May 27, 2025. Cpl. Malia Sparks/U.S. Marine Corps What People Are Saying Captain John Percie Alcos, spokesperson for the Philippine Navy, at a press briefing on Tuesday: "The NMESIS will remain here in our country for as long as training opportunities are still there for us, for us to use that particular military equipment so that our Marines can better conduct combined operations with their counterparts." The U.S. Third Marine Division, in a press release in April: "The NMESIS provides [the U.S. Third Marine Littoral Regiment] with enhanced sea denial capability, deepens naval integration, and strengthens deterrence by extending the Joint Force's ability to target and engage from both land and sea. In the Philippines, the NMESIS will also aid in shaping defensive capabilities in accordance with the [the Armed Forces of the Philippines]'s coastal defense strategy." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Philippines will consider acquiring the NMESIS to counter threats posed by the Chinese navy, the world's largest by hull count. The U.S. has been equipping its Pacific allies and partners with various types of anti-ship missile systems.
GMA Network
10-06-2025
- General
- GMA Network
PH Navy: US NMESIS anti-ship missiles to remain in country for more exercises
The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) of the United States will remain in the country where it will take part in more exercises, the Philippine Navy said on Tuesday. 'This is to confirm that the NMESIS is still within the country and it will continue to be used by the Philippine Marine Corps for training purposes,' Philippine Navy spokesperson Captain John Percie Alcos said in a press briefing. 'As to its current location due to operational security, I cannot disclose that. But I can tell you that it's still inside the country,' he added. The NMESIS is a ground-based anti-ship missile system deployed by the United States Marine Corps' Marine Littoral Regiments for coastal defense and maritime security operations. The Naval Strike Missile it fires has a range of up to 300 kilometers. The missile system was initially deployed to the Philippines in April to be used for this year's Balikatan Exercise between US and Filipino forces. The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) and the USMC also trained with NMESIS during the Kamandag Exercise in May. Alcos said the initial plan to use the NMESIS for a live fire exercise in Kamandag did not proceed due to safety precautions. 'However, we simulated the firing. So we were able to make the most out of the training opportunity of having the NMESIS here,' Alcos said. 'And we were not only supposed to fire the NMESIS. It was supposed to be a combined fires exercise. Although the NMESIS was just simulated, we were able to fire the 105mm and 155mm howitzers,' he added. The NMESIS will be the second advanced missile system from the US to be present in Philippine territory. Last March, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed reports on the second deployment of the US Army's Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system in the country. Typhon can launch multipurpose missiles at targets that are thousands of kilometers away. —RF, GMA Integrated News
Newsweek
02-06-2025
- 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.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. and Philippines Boost Military Ties To Counter China Threats
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on May 30 to discuss joint efforts to counter China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. The high-level talks underscore America's deepening military cooperation with Manila as tensions escalate in contested South China Sea waters. The meeting built upon prior discussions held in Manila on March 28, when Hegseth reaffirmed America's commitment to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty — the cornerstone of what officials describe as the 'ironclad' U.S.-Philippines alliance. Hegseth praised the Philippines for standing firm against China's aggressive tactics targeting lawful Philippine maritime activities. The Defense Department noted that the two leaders celebrated the recent conclusion of Exercise BALIKATAN. This year's iteration marked the largest and most complex joint training exercise in the alliance's history. The massive war games showcased America's deployment of increasingly sophisticated military hardware to the region. Advanced systems included the Typhon missile system and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. The exercises also featured highly capable unmanned surface vessels, signaling a new era of autonomous warfare. Both secretaries emphasized how such joint training enhances deterrence against potential Chinese aggression and committed to continued progress in strengthening defense cooperation between their nations. The leaders stressed the importance of partnership and transparency in their approach to deterring China. Their discussions focused on practical steps to further enhance alliance readiness across the Pacific theater.
