The US–made anti-ship missile system, designed for mobile, land-based strikes against enemy maritime targets, will be featured in this year’s bilateral exercise Kaagapay ng Mga Mandirigma Mula sa Dagat (KAMANDAG) between Manila and Washington.

The Philippine Marine Corps and the US Marine Corps will conduct their bilateral exercises from 26 May to 6 June. Drills include a live-fire integration exercise at Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base in Capas, Tarlac, and a maritime strike operation in Burgos, Ilocos Norte.

Other key activities are a counter-landing exercise at Camp Bojeador, Burgos, and a defensive retrograde operation at Paredes Air Station in Pasuquin, both in Ilocos Norte.

PMC Commandant Major General Arturo Rojas confirmed that the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), which was deployed in the country last month, will likely be included in the Marine forces' military drills.

"Well, for that equipment, similar to the Balikatan exercises, we'll be using the NMESIS also. Again, be able to learn and see what we have, what we did in the past Balikatan. So this event, which is also included in the Kamandag, will also be conducted," he told reporters.

NMESIS was previously positioned in Northern Luzon and the Batanes Islands during the recent Philippines-US Balikatan war games, supporting maritime key terrain security operations and counter-landing live-fire exercises. These assets feature enhanced sea-denial capability, deepen naval integration and strengthen deterrence by extending the joint force’s ability to target and engage from both land and sea.

NMESIS is a cutting-edge coastal anti-ship missile system designed to deliver mobile, land-based strikes against enemy maritime targets.

Ground-based launchers such as the NMESIS are hard to detect and track in complex, cluttered environments, enhancing survivability while extending the reach and resilience of current anti-ship operations.

This capability significantly boosts force projection, particularly in highly contested areas.

USMC Col. Jason Armas, the commanding officer of 1st Marine Regiment, cited the use of NMESIS as a valuable asset during the maritime exercises.

"These are scenario-driven exercises where we will conduct operations with the NMESIS, which is a great capability. It extends the commander's operational reach," he said.

"I would argue that it truly enhances the archipelagic coastal defense concept for the Philippine Armed Forces and really moving forward in modernization," Armas added.

More observers

Meanwhile, Rojas reported this year's iteration of 'Kamandag' Exercise features more participants, with a total of seven countries sending international observers.

Rojas noted that this year’s Kamandag will host more observers — seven countries in total. France and Canada each sent two observers; Bahrain and Australia, three apiece; Indonesia and Thailand, one each; and the Netherlands, four — bringing the foreign-observer total to 13.

This year’s exercise participants include 2,028 Philippine personnel, including members of the PMC, marine reservists, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard. The United States has deployed 2,031 troops from the US Marine Corps.

South Korea deployed 80 participants, Japan sent 107, and the United Kingdom is represented by six personnel.

In total, this year’s Kamandag exercises involve 4,268 participants, including international observers.

‘Kamandag’ — short for Kaagapay ng Mga Mandirigma Mula sa Dagat, or “Ally of the Warriors from the Sea” — is an annual Philippines-US series aimed at enhancing defense and humanitarian-response capabilities.