Balikatan 2025: NMESIS missile system now in the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — The United States military's Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) has arrived in the Philippines in time for its use in this year's Balikatan military exercises, a top Philippine military official confirmed Tuesday, April 15.
"The NMESIS, I will confirm that it's already in country. I will not say where, but it is going to be part of the exercises," Balikatan spokesperson Brig. Gen. Michael Logico said during a press conference.
The deployment of the United States' ground-based anti-ship missile system follows US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's announcement last month that the NMESIS would be featured in this year's joint exercises.
Hegseth previously said he and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. had "agreed on next steps to reestablish deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region."
When asked whether the NMESIS system would remain in the Philippines after Balikatan concludes, U.S. 1st Marine Expeditionary Force's Colonel Doug Krugman indicated that its continued presence would depend on future exercises.
"If there's another exercise going on in the Philippines shortly after Balikatan and that equipment is appropriate and requested for it by the AFP, we would certainly look to participate in that exercise as well, but it is here for exercise purposes," Krugman told reporters.
This year's Balikatan exercises, which will start April 21 and end May 9, will involve around 14,000 military personnel from the Philippines and the US. Specifically, about 5,000 Filipino troops will take part in the exercise and 9,000 will be from the US forces.
Exercise Balikatan is the largest annual bilateral training exercise between the United States and the Philippines, both of which share a mutual defense treaty that compels each to defend the other in case of armed attacks.
This year's exercises will see bigger international participation, with Logico noting an increase in the number of participants from the Australian Defence Force — around 200.
Logico added that active observers from Japan's Self-Defense Forces would be present, along with observers from "additional countries like the Czech Republic, Poland... and Colombia."
A new component in this year's exercises — its 40th iteration overall — will be an integrated air and missile defense activity between Philippine and American troops.
"That's a new event and we are going to be utilizing our air defense capabilities together with the United States," Logico said.
The Philippines will deploy key equipment from its modernization program during the exercises, including FA-50 jets, 155mm artillery, frigates, and landing docks. Logico emphasized that Balikatan helps ensure these various military assets can work together effectively as a combined force.
For their part, US forces will bring F-16s, Marine Corps F-18 fighters, and MV-22 Ospreys – which have already started flight operations in the region. The NMESIS system will be joined by other US equipment including the Marine Air Defense Integrated System for the missile defense live-fire exercises, along with HIMARS rockets, Stingers, and Avenger systems.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was briefed on the Balikatan exercises two weeks ago and has "given the green light for the entire exercise," Logico said.
The president has also expressed interest in observing one of the events, possibly the new integrated air and missile defense activity.
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