Philippine soldiers to train on US Typhon missile system
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MANILA – Philippine soldiers will train on the US military’s intermediate range missile system during unilateral army drills in February as part of preparations for bigger exercises with US counterparts, a military official said on Jan 28.
The Typhon missile system was deployed by US forces to the Philippines in April 2024 as part of their Balikatan or “shoulder-to-shoulder” military exercises, and has since stayed in the country, angering China which has repeatedly called for its withdrawal.
Reuters reported last week the launchers were redeployed to a new location in the Philippines
Tomahawk cruise missiles used in the launchers are capable of hitting targets in both China and Russia from the Philippines. The SM-6 missiles it also carries can strike air or sea targets more than 200km away.
A platoon of about 20 soldiers from the army artillery regiment will train with the US Army Pacific’s First Multi-Domain Task Force in mid-February, Philippine army spokesman Louie Dema-ala said.
The exercise will focus on the “payload delivery system” and will highlight the system’s capabilities, he said, adding it would not include live-fire exercises.
“As long as the MRC (mid-range capability) is here, we maximise its utilisation to train our personnel with these new technologies,” he told a media briefing.
The Philippines in 2024 expressed interest to acquire the launchers as part of its modernisation programme.
Philippine military spokeswoman Francel Margareth Padilla on Jan 28 said preparations were under way for 2025’s annual Balikatan exercises, which are billed to be one of the biggest.
Security engagements between the Philippines and treaty ally, the US, have intensified in recent years, as both countries aim to counter what they see as an increasingly assertive China.
Strong ties between the two are expected to continue under US President Donald Trump, whose Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to the Philippines under their decades-old mutual defence treaty. REUTERS
