By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The US-made NMESIS anti-ship missile system will be taking part in one of the “Balikatan” exercises this year.
This was confirmed Tuesday by Balikatan assistant exercise director Brig. Gen. Michael Logico, in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
“I will just say that it will take part in one of our exercises. That’s all I can say,” he said.
Logico declined to give other specific details on the weapon system for security reasons.
“The NMESIS, I will confirm that it’s already in (the) country. I will not say where,” he added.
The military official also refused to comment on what specific exercise the NMESIS anti-ship missile system would take part in.
NMESIS refers to the “Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System” and is described as a highly mobile coastal anti-ship missile with the ability to strike hostile surface vessels from land-based positions.
The weapon has a range of around 180 to 200 nautical miles.
On March 28, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the NMESIS and other “advanced capabilities” that US forces will train their Filipino counterparts on the use of, will greatly help the Philippines in defending its sovereignty.
Logico said around 14,000 military personnel from the Philippines, US and Australia will take part in the Balikatan exercise set from April 21 to May 9.
“The strength, we are looking at more or less 14,000 participants on both sides. We have an increase in the number of participants with the Australian Defense Force, the ADF. I think they’re around 200,” he added.
Logico said there would be observers coming from the Japan Self-Defense Force, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Colombia, to name a few.
When asked about reactions from China regarding the locations of the “Balikatan” exercises, Logico said that every country “has the absolute and inalienable right to defend itself.”
“But as I’ve always said in all the previous exercises, every country, big or small, has the absolute and inalienable right to defend itself. That means that we also have a right to to train for that defense and with the partners, our treaty allies. So what we are just doing is in consonance with our Mutual Defense Treaty,” he said. (PNA)
