During the annual Balikatan 2025 joint military exercises taking place in the Philippines from April 21 to June 6, the United States demonstrated for the first time the use of the advanced NMESIS (Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System) anti-ship system. This system includes land-based launchers with Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missiles mounted on unmanned light tactical vehicles capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 180 kilometers.
The exercises, which involve more than 4,000 troops from the United States and the Philippines, as well as representatives from Australia, Japan and South Korea, cover a wide range of scenarios, from traditional combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. For the first time, NMESIS is being used in live firing exercises, which significantly increases combat readiness and modernizes the defense capabilities of the Philippines.
At the same time, China continues to expand its naval presence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, including building artificial islands and conducting combat patrols near disputed reefs and atolls such as Scarborough. These actions are causing concern to neighboring countries and the international community, given the strategic importance of the region and the tension around maritime borders.
The US demonstration of new anti-ship weapons capabilities in the Philippines serves as a signal of Washington's readiness to support its allies and restrain China's expansionist ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.
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