On the strategic island of Batan in the northern Philippines, the deployment of the Nmesis anti-ship missile launch system by the US military aims to give the US an advantage in the Pacific region against China. Experts liken the deployment of this weapon system to a shell game, keeping the enemy guessing. So, how does this system work and why does it perplex the Chinese navy in potential US-China conflicts?
According to reports from The Wall Street Journal, Nmesis stands for “Naval/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System,” which is a truck-mounted anti-ship missile launch system. For the US Marine Corps, the deployment of the Nmesis system to Batan Island is a critical equipment adjustment test, allowing rapid response forces to be prepared for potential conflicts with China in some of the world’s most strategically significant yet increasingly tense waters.
Whether it’s due to Taiwan or the disputes over the South China Sea routes, the US is constantly preparing for potential armed conflicts with China. Batan Island, a strategic island in the Philippines, is located about 120 miles south of Taiwan. China has consistently claimed to incorporate Taiwan into its rule and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this goal.
In recent years, China has intensified its military exercises around Taiwan and increasingly dispatched aircraft to provoke the island, escalating military intimidation. On the other hand, conflicts between China and the Philippines are becoming more frequent. If a war breaks out between China and the Philippines, invoking the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty would inevitably involve the United States in the conflict.
Nmesis aims to weaken China’s dominance in the large expanse of the Pacific Ocean. This system utilizes strategic chokepoints like Batan Island, attempting to increase the cost for Chinese warships to enter these areas. The Nmesis system launches Norwegian-made Naval Strike Missiles designed to be ship-based, capable of sinking ships approximately 115 miles away, with sea-skimming and course-adjusting capabilities to track and target moving objects.
With the Nmesis system, the US Marine Corps can launch these high-precision missiles from land, including from remote and mountainous islands like Batan. The launchers on these islands are much easier to hide than in open waters. The main launch vehicle for the missiles is unmanned, operated remotely by personnel. Remote operation keeps US forces outside the range of enemy attempts to destroy the Nmesis system.
Citing John Lehane, the commander of the US Marine Corps’ Hawaii-based division, The Wall Street Journal highlighted that Nmesis’ anti-ship capabilities give it an edge over other land-based missile systems like the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars).
Himars played a crucial role in altering the landscape of warfare in Ukraine. The US Army describes it as a full-spectrum, combat-proven, lethal, and highly responsive wheeled precision strike weapon system. While Himars played a key role in land warfare in Ukraine, it struggles to target moving maritime objects.
Lehane mentioned that simply deploying the Nmesis system on strategic Pacific islands could keep adversaries guessing and force them to assess the threat the system poses to any ship that could potentially enter its strike range.
“Once deployed on the ground, the system is there. It can move and is hard to detect,” Lehane said.
Rommel Ong, former deputy commander of the Philippine Navy and current senior researcher at the Ateneo School of Government in Manila, compared the deployment of Nmesis on Western Pacific islands to a “shell game.”
“Keeping the other side guessing creates uncertainty, and uncertainty generates a deterrent effect to some extent,” he said.
Lehane’s division deployed the system to Batan Island at the end of last month and integrated it into the US-Philippine “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” annual military exercises. The exercise lasted from April 21 to May 9. The Eurasia Times noted that among all tanks, rocket systems, and fighter jets, Nmesis stood out in the exercise, reshaping the power balance of the first island chain quietly but decisively.
At first glance, Nmesis appears to be a compact unmanned truck. But hidden beneath its sleek exterior is a precise strike platform. Nmesis can engage targets 115 kilometers away with sea-skimming accuracy and radar-evading stealth capabilities. Its design is not just for shore defense but also for dynamic maritime deterrence. Thus, it can defend beaches and lock down entire sea areas. This is why its deployment in this strategic location is so crucial.
Commander Lehane stated that a successful deployment of Nmesis sends a signal to potential adversaries that the Marine Corps’ island-based task forces are combat-ready.
“The most important thing is to get people into the mindset that when they see the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, they should think of Nmesis in our hands,” he said.
In recent years, conflicts between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea have escalated. Philippine vessels have been repeatedly damaged, and crew members have been injured. This has pushed Philippine President Marcos to further align with the United States, allowing more bases for American use in the Philippines. The US can construct facilities on these bases, pre-position equipment, refuel aircraft and ships, and conduct maintenance.
In addition to preparing for potential direct military conflicts with China over the South China Sea disputes, the Philippines also needs to guard against a potential Taiwan Strait conflict, as Philippine security would also be affected. President Marcos has clearly stated, “We are at the forefront in the face of the tensions between the two sides.”
In April 2023 during the Biden administration, the Philippines unveiled four additional strategic base locations available for US use, with two bases being closer to Taiwan on Luzon Island, increasing the total open bases to 9. The Philippines has emphasized the strategic significance of these locations. Luzon Island can assist the US in countering amphibious invasions against Taiwan by China in the event of a Taiwan Strait conflict.
In May last year, the US, Philippines, and Australia conducted joint assault exercises on strategic islands near Taiwan, including military drills on Batan Island.