Philippines, U.S. Continue Deployment of Typhon Missile System. Is China the Target?

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – The Philippines and the United States have agreed to maintain the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system, also known as “Typhon,” which is capable of launching multi-purpose SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles, in the Southeast Asian nation.

This decision has raised concerns in China, which fears the missile system could be used against it if an armed conflict erupts in the Indo-Pacific.

Beijing has expressed a desire for the system, developed by Lockheed Martin, to be removed from the Philippines.

Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo Año stated that the government do not intends to “return” the Typhon missile system to the United States and wishes for it to remain stationed in the Philippines.

The U.S., which owns the missile system, shares the same stance as its ally, openly declaring that it would deploy the Typhon system in the event of any conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

The Typhon missile system was delivered to the Philippines in April as part of joint military exercises between the two nations, called “Salaknib 2024,” although it was not launched during the drills.

This marked the first deployment of the Typhon missile system in the Asia-Pacific region.

Currently, the Typhon system is stationed in northern Philippines, close to Taiwan and mainland China.

“We have no set timeline,” Año told reporters when asked how long the Typhon system would remain in the Philippines, adding that both countries will decide the duration of its deployment in the Southeast Asian nation.

“For now, we do not plan to withdraw it. We need the Typhon missile system for training and to enhance the capabilities of our military personnel,” he said.

The deployment of the Typhon missile system, which is capable of launching cruise missiles, comes amid escalating tensions between the Philippines and China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

The Typhon system can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,000 kilometers, a capability that alarms China, as it could target locations within the country in the event of a conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

From northern Luzon, the system could also strike Chinese military bases on artificially built islands in the South China Sea.

The Typhon missile battery consists of four launchers, a command center, and several logistical vehicles.

It is deployed and operated by the Strategic Fires Battalion, which also includes the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Dark Eagle hypersonic batteries. – DSA