Hawaii Marines Bring New Missiles to Philippines in Warning to China

Marines from Hawaii’s 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) are deploying new weapons in the Philippines for the first time, marking a significant change in U.S. military strategy focused on countering Chinese influence and gearing up for island-based warfare in the Pacific.

This year’s Exercise Balikatan saw the deployment of the Kaneohe Bay-based unit's Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) to the northern Batanes Islands, located just south of Taiwan. A new missile system, engineered to target enemy vessels from land-based launchers, represents a notable advancement in the Marine Corps' capabilities as part of its Force Design 2030 restructuring initiative.

Col. John Lehane, commander of the 3rd MLR, emphasized the strategic importance of choke points, stating, “If you can control choke points, you control the commerce that moves through them.” Officials have described the recent rehearsal as a significant advancement in aligning with the Philippines' coastal defense strategy.

The regiment has also deployed the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), a technology designed to detect and neutralize drones, in conjunction with NMESIS. The unit employed MADIS during coastal drills in Zambales province, evaluating its performance in tropical conditions, a departure from the desert environments in which it was initially developed.

Recent naval operations by Chinese forces have intensified in the region, highlighted by a carrier operation near the Philippines and assertive maneuvers around the contested Spratly Islands. Tensions continue to escalate regarding Beijing's territorial assertions in the South China Sea, as well as its position on Taiwan.

In the face of criticism regarding the Corps' shift from conventional armor and artillery, Lehane emphasized that the core principles of infantry continue to be paramount. “Regardless of the quality of the equipment,” he stated, “all of that remains somewhat intriguing if the fundamentals are not mastered.”

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