US deploys NMESIS anti-ship missile in Batanes for joint maritime drills with PH
Metro Manila, Philippines - The United States Marines deployed the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) to the Batanes Islands as part of Exercise KAMANDAG 9, a bilateral training exercise with the Philippine Marine Corps.
The NMESIS was flown in by a KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft and quickly moved to a concealed location to minimize detection. Once in position, the system was used to simulate targeting enemy vessels in the Luzon Strait, a critical sea lane between the Philippines and Taiwan.
The deployment follows an announcement by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during his visit to Manila on March 28, 2025. In a joint press briefing with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Hegseth said the US would deploy advanced military assets, including the NMESIS, to the Philippines to strengthen regional security and deterrence capabilities.
The exercise is part of a larger Maritime Key Terrain Security Operation (MKTSO) aimed at preparing both countries to defend strategic coastal areas and maintain open access to key maritime routes. US Marines from the 3d Littoral Combat Team and Philippine Marines from Marine Battalion Landing Team 10 worked together to rehearse how to patrol, secure, and defend locations such as airfields, ports, and chokepoints on the island.
No live-fire took place, but the NMESIS system was remotely operated and integrated into a complex network of intelligence and surveillance platforms, including a US Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft. These assets helped identify and track simulated maritime targets, allowing for realistic rehearsals of how to respond in a real-world scenario.
Back in Luzon, US Marine units coordinated targeting information using radar and advanced communications systems.
The training also involved support elements like the Tactical Air Control Element, which managed airspace safety using the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar, and the Damage Control and Resuscitation Team, which provided medical readiness support.
Meanwhile, a Littoral Reconnaissance Team provided additional surveillance and target data from the island’s high points, improving coordination for joint fire missions.
“The simulated strikes during KAMANDAG 9 show how our integrated teams can rapidly respond to maritime threats. Our combined forces are better prepared to ensure regional security and freedom of navigation,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Schrafft of the US 3d Marine Littoral Regiment.
KAMANDAG is short for “Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng Dagat”—is an annual exercise between the Philippine and US Marine Corps, focusing on defense readiness, disaster response, and strengthening military cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
