US-Owned Typhon Missile Launcher Will Stay In The Philippines

JAKARTA - US military-owned Typhon launchers who can fire multipurpose missiles up to thousands of kilometers will remain in the Philippines for a while.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano said the launch would remain on the Philippine coast for now, a day after Reuters reported the launcher was moved to a new location on Luzon Island from the north Laoag airfield.

The Philippine military said the deployment of launchers with medium-range capabilities was in line with Washington's long-standing defense relations with the country.

"The main objective of this deployment is to strengthen the readiness of the Philippine military, increase our understanding and interoperability with advanced weapons systems, and support regional security," Philippine armed forces spokesman Francel Margareth Padilla said in a statement.

The presence of these weapons in the Philippines received strong criticism from China when they were first deployed in April 2024 during military exercises.

Beijing on Thursday accused the Philippines of creating tensions and confrontations in the region, and urged the Philippines to "improve wrong practices".

"Allied US and Philippine agreements "coordinate closely in all aspects of MRC placement, including its position", Padilla said.

The Typhon launch can fire up to thousands of kilometers of multi-purpose missiles such as the Tomahawk cruise missile, which is capable of hitting targets in China and Russia from the Philippines. The SM-6 missile it carries can strike air or sea targets more than 200 km (165 miles) away.

"This arrangement reflects joint operational considerations and mutual consultations between the two countries," Padilla said.