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The United States is deploying units of its NMESIS (Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System) to northern Luzon, including the province of Batanes, the area closest to Taiwan.
This deployment is part of the annual joint military exercises between Filipino and American forces, commonly referred to as ‘Balikatan,’ set to begin on Monday, April 21.
According to the Hawaii-based 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, an undisclosed number of NMESIS launchers will be transported by air to various locations across Batanes, which lies approximately 150 kilometers from the southernmost tip of Taiwan.
“This marks the inaugural deployment of the newly fielded Marine Corps weapon system to the Philippines and serves as a major milestone for the continuously developing US-Philippines alliance,” the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment said.
The deployment of the NMESIS was initially announced by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on March 28 during his visit to Manila. He reaffirmed Washington’s unwavering commitment to its oldest treaty and military ally in the region.
On April 15, Philippine Army Brig. Gen. Michael Logico, serving as the spokesperson for “Balikatan,” confirmed the arrival of the NMESIS in the Philippines.
The NMESIS is a highly mobile coastal antiship missile system designed to strike surface vessels from land-based positions at a distance of about 185 km. — Rex Espiritu
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Credit belongs to: www.manilastandard.net
