Philippines Plans to Acquire Mid-Range Capability (MRC) “Typhon” Missile Launcher

(DEFENSE SECURITY ASIA) – The Philippines is planning to acquire the U.S.-made Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile launcher or “Typhon”, now stationed in the Southeast Asian country after joint military exercises several months ago.

Should this proposal receive approval from Washington, Manila should brace for heightened protests from the Chinese government.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro revealed his intent to acquire the MRC missile launcher.

The United States had brought the system to the Philippines in April for two joint military exercises.

“We indeed plan to have this capability (the MRC system).

We will not compromise our right to acquire (the capability) it within our territory,” Teodoro stated in the interview.

The deployment of the MRC mid-range missile launcher, also known as “Typhon,” in the Philippines marks the first time a mid-range missile system has been positioned since the 2019 dissolution of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which barred the U.S. and Russia from developing or deploying any conventional or nuclear weapons with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers.

The American MRC system, initially sent to the Philippines for joint training in April, has remained in the country even after the exercises concluded.

Beijing has condemned the U.S. deployment and extended stay of the MRC missile system in the Philippines, calling it a “provocative” move that “disrupts regional stability.”

Philippine Armed Forces spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla stated that local troops continue training with the MRC launcher system, particularly on mobility aspects, as Manila explores acquisition options for the MRC system.

Securing the MRC mid-range missile launcher is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s broader strategy to pivot the country’s focus from internal security to defending its sovereignty against foreign threats.

This new capability would complement the supersonic anti-ship “BrahMos” missile launchers already procured by the Philippines from India.

The Philippine military is establishing a coastal base on Luzon’s western coast for the BrahMos anti-ship missile system.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and the United States have agreed to maintain the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) or “Typhon” system, which is capable of launching versatile SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles, in the region.

This joint action has raised concerns in China, which worries that the mid-range missile system might be deployed against it should an Indo-Pacific conflict arise.

Beijing has demanded the withdrawal of the Typhon system, developed by Lockheed Martin, from the Philippines.

Deployed to the Philippines in April as part of the “Salaknib 2024” military exercise, the Typhon system was not fired during the training. Its presence in the Asia-Pacific region is a first, currently stationed in northern Philippines near Taiwan and mainland China.

“We have no set timeline,” said National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano when asked about the Typhon system’s duration in the Philippines, adding that both countries would determine the length of its stay in Southeast Asia.

“For now, we don’t plan to withdraw it. We need the Typhon missile system for training and enhancing our troops’ capabilities,” he said.

The Typhon system, which can launch Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of hitting targets up to 2,000 kilometers away, raises concerns in China, given its reach within Chinese territory if an Indo-Pacific conflict were to arise.

From northern Luzon, the Typhon missile system can also target Chinese military bases on man-made islands in the South China Sea.

The Typhon battery includes four launchers, a command center, and several logistics vehicles, and it is operated by the Strategic Fires Battalion, which also comprises High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) units and Dark Eagle Hypersonic batteries. — DSA