The US has deployed missiles in the Philippines that have the range to reach Taiwan. The arrival of Washington’s precision strike and anti-ship launchers for the Balikatan exercise marks one of the most significant deployments on the Philippine archipelago to date, and places advanced U.S. “area denial” capabilities within a strategic first island chokepoint – i.e. within striking distance of China, reported USNI News.
“The annual series of U.S.-Philippine led exercises have shifted to focus on the defense of Manila’s strategic islands amid tensions with China,” it says. “Balikatan continues to include more complicated training as the alliance gears up for a contingency that could see Beijing’s forces in the South China Sea or Luzon Strait. This year’s iteration brings 17,000 troops from the U.S., the Philippines, Australia, Canada, France and Japan together from April 20 to May 8.
