Overview
- U.S. and Philippine forces launched a Tomahawk from a Typhon system early Tuesday from Leyte to Fort Magsaysay on Luzon, a flight of about 391 miles that exercise officials said hit its target.
- Planners said the round carried no explosive payload and was fired to check accuracy within a simulated call for fire to support troops at Fort Magsaysay.
- The launch capped a larger exercise that brought about 17,000 personnel from seven nations to the Philippines, following Monday’s coastal-defense live fire that linked drones, aircraft, and HIMARS rockets to stop a mock landing.
- Live-fire events showcased integration gains but also limits, as on-scene reporting noted some Stinger shots missed aerial targets during the coastal-defense drill.
- China denounced the launch and broader drills as provocative, while U.S. and Philippine leaders cast the Typhon system—deployed in the country since 2024 and able to fire Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles—as a deterrent that could inform future Philippine buys.