Apr 2, 2025 - Technology

Ship-killing NMESIS heads to Philippines as China protests Typhon

Colin Demarest

A missile launches from an unmanned vehicle near the waterfront. Telephone poles are seen on either side of the photo. — Marines fire a Naval Strike Missile from a NMESIS system in California in 2023. Photo: Earik Barton/DVIDS

The U.S. will deploy ship-sinking missile launchers in the Philippines this spring as part of a military exercise also involving Australia and Japan.

Why it matters: The planned appearance of the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, or NMESIS, at Balikatan 2025 comes amid games of chicken in the South China Sea.

Beijing also continues to protest the U.S. Army's Mid-Range Capability, or Typhon, which will be tested fired at Talisman Sabre, another drill, according to Defense News.

The latest: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Indo-Pacific last week, pledging to "reestablish deterrence" in a region the previous administration considered vital to international peace and commerce.

Zoom in: NMESIS pairs specialized Joint Light Tactical Vehicles with Naval Strike Missiles, which can hit targets at distances greater than 100 nautical miles.

The weapon is a key component of Force Design, an overhaul of the Marine Corps' offensive and defensive capabilities.

What's next: The Balikatan drills kick off later this month, amassing some 15,000 troops.

"The more security cooperation, the better," Hegseth said in a press conference with his Filipino counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro. "Again, the more strategic dilemmas for our adversaries, the better."

What we're watching: How China's latest saber-rattling around Taiwan, featuring its Shandong aircraft carrier, plays out.

Go deeper: U.S. warns it will protect the Philippines as tensions with China ramp up

Add Axios on Google

Ship-killing NMESIS heads to Philippines as China protests Typhon

What to read next