The U.S. Army unveiled a mid-range Typhon missile system on a Japanese base on Monday for the first time, a couple of weeks after China showcased its military strength in a parade on the 80th anniversary of World War II.
The missile system was revealed during the annual bilateral exercise Resolute Dragon, a military practice that occurs to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the allied countries, which started last Thursday and will end on Sept. 25.
More than 19,000 U.S. and Japanese service members are participating in the exercise by rehearsing crisis response and contingency operations, with a focus on controlling and defending key maritime terrain, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Delivered last month to the U.S. base in Iwakuni, the missile system is capable of firing the Standard Missile-6 and the Tomahawk cruise missiles. The missile showcase follows its deployment in the Philippines last year. Russia and China criticized the U.S., accusing the country of fuelling an arms race.
During the annual exercise, no missiles will be fired. Its deployment to the military base in Iwakuni is only for the exercise.
“Integrating this system into Resolute Dragon affords us the opportunity to conduct tough and realistic training with our partners,” Col. Wade Germann, commander of the task force that operates the missile system, said in a televised conference in Japan. “Through employing multiple systems and different types of munitions, it is able to create dilemmas for the enemy.”
Iwakuni is a part of a string of military bases and territories stretching from Japan through the Philippines, the growth in military equipment counters China’s growing missile arsenal as the country attempts to prop up itself up on the global stage.
The missile system draws on already existing weapons that are easy to mass produce, which makes it easier for the U.S. and allies to catch up to China.
Source: The Hill - News
