The Philippine Army confirmed on Tuesday that it will conduct another round of familiarization exercises using the U.S.-made midrange capability (MRC) missile system, also known as the Typhon missile launcher. Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala stated that the training will take place during the second iteration of the subject matter expert exchanges (SMEEs), which is part of the Combined Arms Training Exercise (CATEX) Katihan, scheduled for the second week of February.

The SMEEs are expected to be held at the location where the MRC is currently deployed. The Typhon missile launcher was recently transferred to an undisclosed location in the Philippines, prompting China to call for its removal. The military has refused to disclose the exact location of the U.S.-made missile system.

“I cannot disclose the exact location,” Dema-ala said, adding that the Philippine Army aims to maximize the familiarization of the MRC with its counterparts in the U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC). “The Army Artillery Regiment will focus on the payload delivery system and continue what we learned in the first iteration of the SMEE,” he explained. He also noted that new units would participate in this round of training, along with the previous platoon trained last year.

Dema-ala clarified that there would be no live-fire exercises during this year's familiarization training. “No live-fire exercises,” he said.

Additionally, Dema-ala mentioned that the CATEX-Katihan is part of preparations for the upcoming ‘Salaknib’ Exercise—an annual Army-to-Army combat drill between the Philippine Army and the U.S. Army Pacific. He indicated that this year's Salaknib exercise would focus more on command and control operations.

Army Commanding General Roy Galido will oversee the exercise, which will involve units from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The Typhon missile system, also known as the Typhon Weapon System, arrived in Manila on 11 April and is currently deployed in an undisclosed location in Northern Luzon. The ground-based missile system, designed by Lockheed Martin, uses the naval Mk.41 vertical launch system modified for land-based operations. It is capable of firing Tomahawk and SM-6 missiles. The system has been integrated into the Philippines-US military training, including the recently concluded Balikatan Exercise, and was used for training during the first phase of the ‘Salaknib’ Exercise in September 2024.