The US Army launched a Tomahawk cruise missile from Philippine territory for the first time during military exercises using the Typhon system. This was reported by Bloomberg, according to UNN.
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The test was conducted on Tuesday on the island of Luzon as part of the Salaknib exercises. The Typhon Mid-Range Capability system was delivered to the Philippines two years ago, but until now it had only been used for movements and training without live fire launches.
"A number of our partners and allies are very much asking for the deployment of Typhoon missiles, and it is at their request that we are deploying them. This is a fairly strategic deterrent,"
The Typhon system, developed by Lockheed Martin, can launch both Tomahawk and Standard Missile-6 missiles. Its strike range is between 500 and 2,000 kilometers, which theoretically allows it to reach Chinese territory from positions in the Philippines.
China accused the US of destabilizing the region
Beijing sharply criticized the deployment and use of this system, stating that it undermines security in the region. China called on the Philippines to abandon the deployment of American missiles and to "correct the wrongdoing as soon as possible."
The Philippines and China have conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea, which regularly leads to incidents and diplomatic conflicts.
At the same time, the US and the Philippines continue to expand military cooperation, particularly through the Balikatan exercises, which are becoming larger every year.