As confirmed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during his recent visit to the Philippines, the U.S. Marine Corps’ new NMESIS anti-ship missile system will be deployed next month as part of the Balikatan 2025 Multinational Exercise. In a context of rising tensions in the region and with the new Republican administration focused on the Indo-Pacific, this announcement strengthens military cooperation between both countries against China, which maintains various controversies and territorial disputes with the Philippines.
Last Friday, Hegseth met in Manila with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to coordinate the next steps in bilateral and multilateral military cooperation and to “restore” deterrence capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. During the meeting, both parties discussed the deployment of new unmanned surface vehicles, as well as the new Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), one of the most modern land-based expeditionary anti-ship capabilities of the U.S. military, which will be employed during the Balikatan Exercise.
Additionally, other initiatives were agreed upon, such as joint Special Operations Forces training in the Batanes Islands, the launch of a bilateral cybersecurity campaign to reduce vulnerabilities in information systems, and increased cooperation between the defense industries of both countries. “Our partnership not only continues today, but we are doubling down on it, and our ironclad alliance has never been stronger,” stated Pete Hegseth.
Given its proximity to Taiwan and key maritime routes in the South China Sea, the Philippines is a strategic partner for the United States and its allies, enhancing their ability to respond to potential regional crises. In this regard, the Balikatan exercise is expected to be one of the most significant deployments carried out by both countries to date. With large-scale combat simulations, these activities will take place between April and May and will involve approximately 15,000 personnel from the armed forces of the United States, the Philippines, Japan, and Australia.
However, a key aspect of this exercise is the confirmation that the NMESIS anti-ship missile system will be deployed. This system was recently introduced into the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division, a unit specializing in amphibious warfare, headquartered on the island of Oahu—a strategic point in the Pacific Ocean for U.S. force projection toward Asia.
As part of strengthening regional unit capabilities, the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment received its first launchers late last year, where it was highlighted that they operate under the Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Missile Battery. At that time, Lieutenant Colonel Timothy W. Love, commander of the 3rd Littoral Combat Team, stated: “By receiving the NMESIS weapons system, the 3rd MLR has an enhanced sea denial capability and is positioned at the forefront of strategic transformation. This addition deepens naval integration and strengthens deterrence by providing coverage from coastal positions, extending the Joint Force’s ability to target and strike from both land and sea.”
In addition to NMESIS, at the end of January this year, the Marine Corps ordered a new batch of autonomous and remotely controlled ROGUE-Fires vehicles, which are a central component of the NMESIS system. Essentially, the ROGUE-Fires system consists of a JLTV family 4×4 tactical vehicle without a cabin from Oshkosh Defense, equipped with a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launch system from Norway’s Kongsberg Defence.
Finally, in recent months, reports indicate that the Philippines has become a deployment site for some of the most modern surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile launch systems developed and introduced by the U.S. armed forces.
Before NMESIS deployment was confirmed, the U.S. Army repeatedly deployed its new Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Strategic Fires System, also known as “Typhon,” on Luzon Island as part of Exercise Salaknib 24, to cite just one example from last year.
“The deployment of the MRC aims to enhance the maritime defense capabilities of the Philippines while reinforcing interoperability and readiness within the U.S.-Philippines Alliance,” stated a press release at the time, which was later met with protests from China.
Through this capability, the U.S. Army’s 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) can deploy a wide range of long-range SM-6 anti-air missiles as well as Tomahawk missiles for land-attack operations.
Since then, despite continued Chinese protests, the system has remained deployed in the Philippines, a fact confirmed at the end of January this year. Furthermore, as a result, the Philippines has repeatedly expressed official interest in incorporating similar capabilities into its own forces but in a scaled-down version, based on the experience of the Salaknib 2024 exercise.
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