Photos Show New US Missiles Sent to China’s Doorstep

The United States has once again deployed its NMESIS ship-sinking missile system on a Philippine island group for military drills, amid the presence of the Chinese navy in nearby waters.

Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.

Why It Matters

NMESIS stands for Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System—a U.S. Marine Corps ground-based launcher armed with two Naval Strike Missiles, capable of striking sea targets 115 miles away. It is designed for maritime warfare operations in the Pacific Ocean.

During Exercise Balikatan 2025, held from April 21 to May 9 in the Philippines, the U.S. Marine Corps simulated anti-ship operations using NMESIS on Batan Island in the Luzon Strait—a key gateway for China’s naval deployments beyond its surrounding waters.

The Philippines plays a significant role in America’s Indo-Pacific strategy. It is one of three nations—alongside Japan and Taiwan—that form a containment strategy known as the First Island Chain, aimed at restricting China’s naval access to the broader Western Pacific Ocean.

What To Know

In a video released by the U.S. Marine Corps, a NMESIS launcher was shown being airlifted by a KC-130J transport aircraft to the Batanes Island chain—located north of the main Philippine island Luzon—on Sunday for the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation.

The operation, aimed at rehearsing the defense of key maritime terrain, is part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9—a war game involving the U.S., the Philippines, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom, scheduled from Monday to June 6 and taking place across the Philippines.

Unlike Exercise Balikatan 2025, where no live missiles were launched by the NMESIS, the weapon will be employed in a live-fire drill during Exercise KAMANDAG 9 “if the weather permits,” Philippine media outlet ABS-CBN reported, citing the country’s marine corps.

KAMANDAG—an acronym for the Filipino phrase “Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat,” which translates to “Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea”—is an annual bilateral drill led by the U.S. and Philippine marine corps since 2016 to strengthen the allies’ capabilities.

This year’s exercise underscored what the U.S. Marine Corps called the “global importance of maritime security,” as well as the value of building “multinational maritime domain awareness,” and a shared commitment to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

In addition to the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation, the exercise featured defensive counter-landing live-fire drills, littoral maneuvers, amphibious operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training, as well as various subject matter expert exchanges.

What People Are Saying

Colonel Jason C. Armas, commanding officer of the U.S. Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 25.3 Marine Air-Ground Task Force, said: “Training shoulder to shoulder with our Philippine Marine Corps partners isn’t just about building interoperability—it’s about forging trust in the crucible of shared hardship and preparing together to respond with speed and precision to any crisis, anywhere, anytime.”

Major General Arturo G. Rojas, commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps, said: “This year’s KAMANDAG is a testament to the enduring partnership between the Philippine Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps. By operating jointly in complex environments, we are strengthening our capability to defend the archipelago and contributing to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.”

What Happens Next

It was unclear whether the NMESIS will remain in the Philippines after the conclusion of the exercise. A U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability missile system, which was initially deployed for exercises, has been stationed in the Southeast Asian country since April of last year.