US Fires Tomahawk from Typhon in Philippines
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- US military test-fired a Tomahawk cruise missile from the Typhon mid-range capability system for the first time in the Philippines, launching shortly after midnight Tuesday from Tacloban City Airport in Leyte
- The Tomahawk traveled about 600 kilometers along the country's eastern seaboard and struck its target at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija roughly an hour later, carrying no explosive payload as it was used solely to assess accuracy
- China has repeatedly condemned the Typhon deployment, warning it introduces "risks of geopolitical confrontation and arms race into the region" — from the Philippines, the system can reach the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and parts of the Chinese mainland
- The launch formed part of the Balikatan exercises running April 20 to May 8, the largest iteration of the annual drills, with Australia, Japan, Canada, France, New Zealand, and the UK as key participants
- Japan deployed about 1,400 troops and is set to fire its Type 88 missiles alongside the US Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) at maritime strike drills in Laoag on May 6, where Philippine and Japanese defense ministers are expected to observe
- Philippine security officials expressed interest in acquiring the Typhon launcher, developed by Lockheed Martin and introduced into US Army service in 2023
Why it matters: The Philippines-based Typhon can now reach the Chinese mainland, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea, giving the US a forward-deployed land-based strike option in a region where China has warned of an arms race. The fact that the system is already operational in Philippine territory — and that Manila wants to buy it — turns this from a one-off test into a permanent escalation of US strike footprint near Chinese targets.
