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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
Malay Mail
09-05-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
WWII-era Philippine navy ship sinks before planned farewell during US-Philippine drills
MANILA, May 9 — The BRP Miguel Malvar, old enough to have seen action in World War II, was scheduled to go out in a blaze of glory Monday, as a target ship during the annual US-Philippine 'Balikatan' military exercises. The 80-year-old vessel, however, would not quite make its own funeral. Onlookers instead watched as the ship, which once chased Japanese submarines and ferried German prisoners as part of the US fleet, sank before the first volley could be fired. 'The Balikatan 25 maritime strike targets vessel sank off the west coast of the Philippines prior to the event commencing today,' Philippine Navy spokesman John Percie Alcos said in cancelling a planned media event. 'Due to rough sea conditions... and with its long service life... she took on a significant amount of water and eventually sank,' he said Praising it as one of the most-decorated ships in Philippine history, Alcos added the country was proud to be 'transitioning to a new and multi-capable navy'. After more than 20 years of service, the vessel — then named USS Brattleboro — was sold to the Republic of Vietnam in 1966. The Philippine Navy acquired and refurbished the ship after its crew fled Vietnam following the 1975 fall of Saigon. Balikatan, three weeks of US-Philippine joint exercises aimed at deterring Beijing's ambitions in the disputed South China Sea, is set to end Friday. — AFP
Express Tribune
07-05-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
World War II-era ship sinks before US-Philippine forces can use in drills
Listen to article A World War II-era US Navy ship intended to be sunk in a live-fire military exercise by US and Philippine forces sank prematurely on Monday, slipping beneath the South China Sea before any missile or bomb could strike it. The ex-USS Brattleboro, which served in key Pacific battles more than 80 years ago, was to be the centrepiece target in the "Balikatan" joint drills currently underway off the coast of Luzon. 'The vessel was selected because it exceeded its service life and was no longer suitable for normal operations,'Philippine military officials said. 'Due to rough sea conditions that we are currently experiencing in the excercise box and with its long service life as it expected, she took on a significant amount of water and eventually sank,' said Philippine Navy spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos. He confirmed that the 184-foot ship, which was not damaged during towing, sank at 7:20 am local time. The Brattleboro had been selected for the drill's MARSTRIKE (maritime strike) phase because it was no longer operational. It was meant to be destroyed by a combination of US Marine Corps F/A-18 jets, anti-ship missiles, bombs, and cannon fire. Despite the vessel's early demise, the rest of the MARSTRIKE training will proceed, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement. 'The combined force will still achieve its training objectives,' the military said, The vessel had been thoroughly cleaned before deployment and posed no environmental risk, according to the Philippine military. The annual Balikatan exercise, running from April 21 to May 9, aims to strengthen cooperation and readiness between the US and Philippine armed forces amid rising tensions in the region. History of ex- USS Brattleboro The ex-USS "Brattleboro" met an unceremonious end on Monday, but its history spanned some of the most pivotal moments in 20th-century naval warfare. Commissioned as a submarine chaser during World War II, the ship played a key role in the battles of Leyte Gulf and Okinawa—two decisive American campaigns against Imperial Japan in 1944 and 1945, respectively. According to the US Naval History and Heritage Command, the vessel supported air defence and rescue operations during the Leyte invasion, evacuating over 400 wounded soldiers to hospital ships and downing a Japanese aircraft. Following additional combat operations near Palau and the Philippines, the Brattleboro joined the Okinawa campaign in spring 1945. There, it provided emergency treatment to more than 200 seriously injured personnel and rescued over 1,000 survivors from sunken vessels during the 91-day battle. Retired from US service in the 1960s, the ship was transferred to South Vietnam in 1966. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, it was handed over to the Philippine Navy and recommissioned in 1977 as the BRP Miguel Malvar, named after a Filipino revolutionary leader. The vessel remained in service until its decommissioning in 2021. Rising regional tension The scheduled sinking of the Brattleboro had been planned in waters facing the disputed Scarborough Shoal—an area closely patrolled by Chinese military and coast guard vessels. The Philippines also claims the shoal, located roughly 137 miles west of Zambales province. This year's Balikatan—meaning 'shoulder-to-shoulder' in Tagalog—involves over 14,000 troops from the US and the Philippines. The drills are intended as a robust test of the two nations' joint defence capabilities amid rising tensions in the South China Sea. Clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the shoal have intensified in recent years, fuelling fears of broader military escalation. China continues to assert sweeping claims over the South China Sea, while forcefully opposing any US military involvement in the region.
