The United States has conducted the first live firing of a Tomahawk missile from its Typhon system based in the Philippines. The launch drew sharp criticism from Beijing as a major provocation.
The US Army carried out the test launch of the Typhon ground-based missile system from Luzon Island. The Tomahawk cruise missile flew northbound toward the Taiwan Strait.
The Typhon system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, arrived in the Philippines in 2024. Troops had practiced moving the launcher in the local environment but had not performed any live-fire exercises until this test.
Beijing has opposed the deployment since its arrival two years ago. Officials claim the system, which can launch missiles with ranges of 500 to 2,000 kilometres, destabilises regional security.
Military analyst Song Zhongping described the northbound trajectory as clearly aimed at the Taiwan Strait. Observers in China have called for strong countermeasures in response.
