Last week, reports from Japan began to emerge indicating that the U.S. is progressing in deploying its HIMARS artillery systems on the Nansei Islands chain in the southwest of the country. Alongside plans for a similar deployment in the Philippines, Washington aims to bolster its regional presence amid rising tensions between China and Taiwan, operating the new units as part of the joint operational plan between the U.S. and Japan.
Delving into specifics, Kyodo News consulted sources familiar with these plans, revealing that the U.S. Marine Littoral Regiment would be responsible for transferring the HIMARS to the region, which spans Japan’s Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures. The geography of the area allows for a broad network of temporary bases for U.S. Marines in the event of conflict, with consistent logistical support provided through cooperation with Japan’s Self-Defense Forces.
Regarding this, it is worth recalling that, in the face of a growing Chinese threat (and the persistent North Korean threat), Japanese and U.S. defense departments expanded their bilateral defense cooperation through an agreement signed in July. According to the document, this cooperation will increase the number of joint exercises compared to those currently conducted and enable joint operations in scenarios that warrant them, such as a potential invasion of Taiwan.
Additionally, it is important to note that, as initially mentioned, the U.S. also seeks to enhance artillery capabilities at its various established bases in the Philippines. In line with this, it is noteworthy that since 2023, Washington and Manila agreed to increase the number of U.S. bases in the country from five to nine, enabling the deployment of its Multi-Domain Task Force personnel. Furthermore, the Philippine government is reportedly considering acquiring the new Typhon missile launch system, which could contribute to containing China’s Navy should a conflict over Taiwan arise.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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