A powerful midrange US missile system was used during the joint military exercise between the Philippines and the United States.
The ground-based Typhon mid-range capability missile system is capable of firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and SM-6 missiles.
However, Lt. Col. Brian Block, a US spokesman for the Balikatan, told Kyodo News the system was not used to fire a missile and was only used for a simulated drill.
The Typhon battery is composed of four launchers, a command center, and associated logistical vehicles.
If fired from the areas of Northern Luzon, the system is capable of reaching 300 nautical miles or more than a 500-kilometer range, a lot more than the estimated 370 kilometer distance between the southern tip of Taiwan and the northernmost tip of the Philippines.
As this developed, House members defended the administration’s actions in dealing with China’s aggression, such as the joint military exercises with the United States and other foreign troops, increasing the number of Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, and purchase of missiles and submarines.
“The nations that came to our aid or our support actually came here on their own volition,” Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said, emphasizing that external support aligns with the Philippines’ position on the WPS issue.
“They were not requested by the Philippine government. They came here to support us because they see that our position is the right position to take,” he added.
As regards concerns over the increase in EDCA sites and the procurement of military assets, Flores defended these actions as essential for self-defense.
“There is nothing wrong in defending ourselves. There is also nothing wrong in preparing to defend ourselves, that’s why these exercises are conducted,” Flores added.
For his part, Surigao Del Norte Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas clarified that the procurement of submarines is part of the ongoing AFP Modernization Program.
Matugas said the purchase of submarines is not a new development but rather a continuation of the modernization efforts initiated by previous administrations.
