As the geopolitical temperature rises in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States Army has demonstrated a significant show of force through the deployment of its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and the groundbreaking Typhon Missile System during training exercises in the Philippines.

These recent maneuvers underscore a strategic pivot, showcasing America’s commitment to its allies and a response to the threats posed by regional adversaries.

During Balikatan, a bilateral training exercise with the Philippine forces, the U.S. Army’s HIMARS was put through its paces, traveling from island to island on an aggressive timeline.

The Lockheed Martin-manufactured mobile rocket launcher, which can carry six missiles at a time, proved its rapid deployment capabilities as it was transported over 700 kilometers aboard a C-130 aircraft, swiftly followed by a strategic road march to its firing location.

“It takes just 30 minutes to load a HIMARS into a C-130 and 10 minutes from rolling off the aircraft to be ready to fire,” Capt. Garrett Kohnke, battery commander of Alpha Battery.

The LCACs delivered HIMARS ashore at the beach for a live-fire exercise that included other assets such as 105mm howitzers from the Philippine Armed Forces.

The Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile tested during Balikatan this year, though not in a live-fire exercise, would better address the challenge of hitting ships at sea, Kohnke said.

Additionally, the Typhon Weapon System, a ground-based launcher adapted from the naval Mk.41 vertical launch system, made a strategic debut in the Indo-Pacific region. The system, a core component of the U.S. Army’s Multi-Domain Task Forces (MDTF), is designed to confront threats from adversaries like Russia and China.

“This is a significant step in our partnership with the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in the region,” stated Brig. Gen. Bernard Harrington, Commander of the 1st MDTF.

The deployment of Typhon, also known as the Mid-Range Capability system, comes at a particularly tense time, following confrontations between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.

China has vehemently opposed the presence of the Typhon system, which is capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 defensive munitions. Beijing accuses the U.S. of “stoking military confrontation,” with the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urging the U.S. to “stop undermining peace and stability in the region.”

Despite China’s accusations, the U.S. Army labels this deployment a “landmark” in enhancing regional security, highlighting the Typhon system’s ability to reach strategic areas such as the Luzon Strait and the Chinese coast.

“This in some way ‘equalizes’ the prior situation where (Chinese) missiles have threatened US forces along the First Island Chain (which includes the northern Philippines, Japan and Taiwan), and even further eastward along the Second Island Chain centering on Guam,” said Collin Koh, research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

The Philippines, on its path to bolstering territorial defense capabilities, has also expressed interest in acquiring systems like HIMARS. With the U.S.-Philippine exercises illustrating increased cooperation and sophisticated capability sharing, the interoperability and readiness of allied forces are significantly bolstered.

These recent developments not only affirm the adaptability and strategic might of the U.S. military but also send a clear message of unwavering support to allies in the face of territorial disputes and rising tensions in the Pacific theater.

Relevant articles:
– US Army sends HIMARS rocket launcher island-hopping in the Philippines, Defense News
– U.S. Army Deploys New Missile Launcher to the Philippines, Naval News
– US sends land-attack missile system to Philippines for exercises in apparent message to China, CNN
– Soldiers fire long-range rocket artillery as exercise wraps up in the Philippines, Stars and Stripes