Long-time allies the United States and the Philippines have flexed their military muscle by firing six rockets in a defence drill on Palawan Island, in a show of sustained American commitment to Manila.
Defence experts say the show of strength from the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars) could signal its potential long-term deployment, much like the Typhon arsenal that previously raised China’s ire.
They caution however that it would be premature to consider it as sign of a golden age in US-Philippine relations under President Donald Trump.
On Monday, about 500 troops from the Philippines, the US and Australia conducted a maritime interdiction drill in Rizal, where Manila’s navy intercepted a remote-controlled vessel approaching the coast.
Part of this year’s ongoing large-scale Balikatan – or shoulder to shoulder – exercise, the drill culminated in a precision strike showcasing the Himars system’s quick and accurate response to amphibious threats.
“We achieved everything we set out to achieve,” US Marines commander Major General Thomas Savage told reporters. “We’re trying to demonstrate a capability to work together. The exercise you saw is agnostic of an enemy. If somebody is trying to interfere with a sovereign nation, that’s what we’re trying to demonstrate.”
