U.S. anti-ship missile system deployed in ‘Balikatan’

Photo courtesy: Armed Forces of the Philippines/FB

By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency

The United States (U.S.) has deployed its NMESIS (Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System), an anti-ship missile system, during the ongoing Balikatan Exercises in the Philippines.

According to Lt. Col. John Paul Salgado, chief of the c, NMESIS was deployed on Saturday, April 26, to test troops’ capability to position the system for the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations (MKTSO) – North events.

NMESIS is a highly mobile, land-based coastal defense weapon designed to engage and neutralize hostile surface vessels. It has an operational range of approximately 180 to 200 nautical miles.

It provides the combined and joint forces with a flexible and expedient sea denial capacity, contributing to the collective defense of both countries.

The annual Philippine-US exercise began on April 21 and will run until May 9.

The two nations were also joined by smaller contingents from Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada. (with report from Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)

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