The U.S. Army will keep its new strategic Typhon missile system deployed in the Philippines, despite objections from the Chinese government. Recently, the Army completed the relocation of the Typhon batteries from Laoag Airfield to another site on the island of Luzon.
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According to Reuters, a senior official from the Philippine government stated that the redeployment of the Typhon system “…would help determine where and how quickly the missile battery could be moved to a new launch position. That mobility is considered a way to make them more resilient during a conflict….”
It is worth noting that the U.S. Army executed the first deployment of the Typhon strategic missile system in the Philippines in April last year. At that time, the Medium-Range Capability (MRC), also known as Typhon, was installed on the island of Luzon. “…The deployment of the system, also known as Typhon, was carried out by the U.S. Army’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF), a mission supported by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as part of Exercise Salaknib 24…,” as previously reported by Zona Militar.
The transportation of the Typhon system from the U.S. was carried out by C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft of the U.S. Air Force’s 62nd Airlift Wing (AW). The Globemaster III planes departed from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, covering nearly 13,000 kilometers in over 15 hours of flight.
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The relocation of the Typhon system’s batteries was confirmed to Reuters by Commander Matthew Comer, head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, who stated, “…the U.S. government has closely coordinated with the Philippine government on all aspects of the MRC deployment, including its location… it was relocated within the Philippines….” Both the Command and the Philippine government declined to disclose the specific location where the batteries were moved.
Criticism from China
The presence of the Typhon strategic missile system in the Philippines prompted a response from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accusing Manila of “…creating tension and confrontation in the region, urging it to correct its erroneous practices…,” as detailed by Reuters.
“…(The deployment of the Typhon system) is also an extremely irresponsible choice for the people of the country and several Southeast Asian nations, as well as for regional security…,” said Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry, during a regular press conference.
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Developed by Lockheed Martin, the first Typhon systems were delivered to the U.S. Army in December 2022. This strategic missile system provides a multidomain advantage against adversaries, as its four launchers are capable of firing both SM-6 surface-to-air missiles and Tomahawk surface-to-surface missiles. This dual capability offers air defense and long-range ground attack capabilities in a single package.
According to the U.S. Army, a Typhon system battery consists of four launchers and a battery operations center. Additionally, each battery includes a series of tractor trucks, trailers, generators, and support vehicles.
Typhon systems are described as “…theater-level maneuver elements designed to synchronize precision effects and fires across all domains against the adversary’s anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) networks, enabling joint forces to execute their roles directed by the operational plan (OPLAN)….”
Illustrative cover image. Credits: U.S. Army.
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