Philippine Troops to Undergo US Missile System Training Amid Rising Tensions with China

A Philippine platoon will receive training on the United States' mid-range missile system next month, marking a significant step in the country's military collaboration with the US. The training involves troops from the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force of the US Army Pacific and serves as a continuation of the knowledge gained during the first training iteration. This initiative aims to prepare both nations for this year's Salaknib, an annual joint exercise between the Philippine and US armies. However, China's disapproval looms large as the presence of the missile system on Philippine soil has incited criticism from Beijing.

"Stop going further down the wrong path," stated Mao Ning, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman, urging the Philippines to reconsider its decision.

The forthcoming training will see a new platoon from the Philippines' Army Artillery Regiment undergo "orientation and familiarization" with the missile system starting in the second or third week of February. While specific details about the training location remain undisclosed for security reasons, it is confirmed that there will be no live firing of the Typhon system during this phase.

Colonel Louie Dema-ala explained, "This is a continuation of what we've learned in the first (training) iteration. New units will be involved in the training and a continuation of the previous platoon that was trained last year."

The US military initially deployed the Typhon missile system in the northern Philippines last year as part of their annual joint exercise. Following the exercises, the system remained in place. The Typhon system boasts a capability to protect vessels up to 370 kilometers off the coast, aligning with the Philippines' maritime entitlement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

"As long as MRC (mid-range missile capability) is here, we maximize its utilization to train our personnel in new technology," noted Colonel Louie Dema-ala.

The training also seeks to enhance logistical capabilities, as pointed out by Colonel Francel Padilla.

"To see how these logistical trains can be transported to certain locations, to certain salient points," he elaborated.