American and Filipino security officials have agreed to keep a U.S. mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines indefinitely to boost deterrence despite China's expressions of alarm. The Typhon missile system, capable of firing the Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile, was transported by the U.S. Army to the northern Philippines in April for combat exercises with Philippine troops. The Tomahawk missiles, with a range of over 1,000 miles, put China within their target range.
Officials are considering keeping the missile system in the northern Philippines until April next year, coinciding with the annual Balikatan exercises between U.S. and Philippine forces. Chinese diplomats have raised concerns about the deployment, warning that it could destabilize the region.
