Cheyenne Suarez

US NMESIS missile system test-fired during Balikatan

US anti-ship missile system NMESIS. Sgt. Juan Magadan, US Marine Corps via DVIDS/File

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Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175212601317317495374601581749537458433.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="US anti-ship missile system NMESIS. Sgt. Juan Magadan, US Marine Corps via DVIDS/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">US anti-ship missile system NMESIS. <em>Sgt. Juan Magadan, US Marine Corps via DVIDS/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — US military officials on Thursday confirmed the deployment of the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System or NMESIS during the recent Balikatan exercise in the Philippines.</p><p>US Navy Adm. Stephen Koehler, US Pacific Fleet commander, said the joint military exercise between the armed forces of Manila and Washington this year featured cutting-edge capabilities, and focused on the “West Philippine Sea and the Luzon Strait.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/29/what-the-deployment-of-new-anti-ship-missile-launcher-in-ph-means-1744"><strong>What the deployment of US anti-ship missile launcher in PH means<br/></strong></a></div><p>“We test-fired the NMESIS missiles, operated amphibious vehicles and the HIMARS [High Mobility Artillery Rocket System], trained with unmanned systems, and conducted full battle tests and real-world scenarios,” Koehler said during the closing ceremony of the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium held in Taguig City.</p><p>“Our achievements during Balikatan were a major step forward in deterrence for the Indo-Pacific,” he added.</p><p>The US Pacific Fleet spokesperson later clarified that the NMESIS was only deployed during the exercises but was not test-fired.</p><p>:During the closing remarks of the Pacific Amphibious Leaders Symposium in Manila, Philippines, July 10, US Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, commander, US Pacific Fleet, imprecisely stated in his speech that the United States test fired the NMESIS during Balikatan. The NMESIS was deployed during Balikatan and took part in battle drills but no missiles were fired,&quot; the US fleet spokesperson said in a statement.</p><p>The NMESIS is a high mobile coastal anti-ship missile with the ability to strike hostile surface vessels from land-based positions.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/10/us-nmesis-to-remain-in-ph-for-marines-training-ph-navy-1440"><strong>US anti-ship missile system NMESIS to stay in Philippines for Marines&#x27; training<br/></strong></a></div><p>During the Balikatan exercise, the NMESIS was deployed for training in the maritime key terrain security operations (MKTSO) in Batanes from April 26 to May 4.</p><p>US Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm, commanding general of the US 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, declined to give details due to operational security, but said &quot;we got great training&quot; from the NMESIS batteries. </p><p>“We always hit the target,” he added.</p><p>Capt. John Percie Alcos, Philippine Navy spokesperson, last month said the NMESIS will remain in the Philippines “for as long as training opportunities for the Philippine Marine Corps are there.”</p><p>Alcos also emphasized that the deployment of the NMESIS in the country should not be viewed as a threat to China, calling it “only a deterrent to anybody who intends to conduct illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions against the Philippines.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/27/ph-navy-defends-deployment-of-us-missile-system-in-kamandag-2025-1523"><strong>PH Navy defends deployment of US missile system in Kamandag 2025<br/></strong></a></div><p>Otherwise, he said, &quot;it’s just a military equipment that we use for training.&quot;</p><p>China has opposed the deployment of the NMESIS and the US Army’s Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Typhon missile system in the country.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e4rvQ6DdIQc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>US Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm declined to give details due to operational security, but said "we got great training" from the NMESIS batteries.</p>

US Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm declined to give details due to operational security, but said "we got great training" from the NMESIS batteries.

US NMESIS missile system deployed during Balikatan

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US NMESIS missile system deployed during Balikatan

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 10, 2025 01:48 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 10, 2025 06:04 PM PHT

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Balikatan

Balikatan 2025

NMESIS

Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System

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