Angry US, suddenly puts Typhon missiles in RI’s ‘Home Yard’

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The United States (US) deployed Typhon missiles in the Philippines earlier this year. This action is a very important thing for Washington.

The top US general, Major General Marcus Evans, said in an interview in Manila, Monday (21/10/2024) that the Typhon missile system will allow US and Philippine troops to conduct joint exercises in April.

The commanding general of Hawaii’s 25th Infantry Division said the facility was also being prepared for future use of advanced heavy weapons on the islands.

“What he does together gives us the opportunity to understand how to use that ability. The environmental challenges here are very special compared to other places in the region,” said Evans, quoted by Newsweek.

Typhon is seen as an important part of military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, where tensions with China are rising. Last month, Philippine military chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. he said he wanted the missile system to remain in his country ‘forever’.

While the Typhon system was initially scheduled to leave the Philippines, three Philippine officials recently revealed that it will remain there indefinitely, despite protests from China. The system fires Standard-6 medium-range missiles (SM-6) and Tomahawk land attack missiles.

The presence of this system is related to broader defense cooperation between the US and the Philippines, specifically the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Signed in 2014, EDCA allows US forces access to designated Philippine military bases on an ongoing basis.

“It’s a very important activity because you have to work in that environment, but more importantly, you work with our partners in the Philippines to understand how it will be integrated into into their work,” Evans said.

Pressure emerging from China over territorial disputes in the South China Sea has pushed the Philippines to increase its defenses. It is noted that the two militancy are often engaged in small skirmishes due to overlapping territorial claims.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi argued that the presence of US missiles in the region could undermine peace and increase tensions. He said it was “not in the interest of the countries of the region” to do so.

Evans said US-Philippines military cooperation will continue to increase, especially through joint exercises such as Salaknib, which will showcase advanced US technology, scheduled for next year. The exercise aims to increase combat readiness and will be extended in range.

“Conceptually, this exercise is expected to be a larger and more complex exercise. We also plan to bring in new equipment to train with our partners in the Philippine military that we did not have in -last year,” Evans said.

(fsd/fsd)