12.09.2024, Washington D.C.
The United States has decided to deploy MRC Typhon medium-range ground-based missile systems in Japan, Kommersant reported on September 12.
The deployment of MRC Typhon in Japan allows the United States to attack three countries at once – China, Russia and North Korea.
It should be noted that these weapons were banned under the Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missile Elimination Treaty (INF Treaty) between Russia and the United States. After the termination of the treaty, the US began to deploy the relevant systems in various countries in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Earlier, The Japan Times reported on American plans to deploy Typhon on Japanese territory. US Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth discussed with Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara the prospects of using the new American multi-sphere task forces on Japanese territory. This will depend on the tempo of the Japanese government.
The MDTFs include US Typhon medium-range missile systems. Their appearance in Japan will be the second deployment of the previously banned systems in Asia. The first one took place in spring in the Philippines. Then the complexes were involved in US-Philippine exercises and are still on one of the islands of this country.
Typhon is the US Army’s first medium-range land-based strike weapon since the end of the Cold War and the termination of the MTCR in 2019. Its launcher is a land-based variant of the Mk41 shipboard vertical launcher.
The Pentagon signed a contract with Lockheed Martin to produce these systems in November 2020, following a 1987 treaty between the US and the USSR that banned the development of such systems.
Typhon is capable of launching cruise and multi-mission missiles. It is assumed that in the future they will be part of the strategic firepower division. This will also include batteries of HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems with new PrSM and hypersonic Dark Eagle missiles. In addition to the missile systems division, it will include specialists in reconnaissance, cyberweapons, electronic warfare, and space operations.
In July this year, it was reported that from 2026, the US will deploy ground-based medium and shorter-range missiles (SM-6, Tomahawk and Dark Eagle) in Germany. This will take place as part of the MDTF (Missile Defense Test Flight) initiative.
In addition, the US has already delivered the Mk70 modular containerized missile system twice to the Danish island of Bornholm. This complex, similar to Typhon, is designed for naval forces and was used during exercises.
Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would retaliate against the allies. Moscow believes that the banned systems will eventually end up in Europe. In this case, important facilities of state and military administration, as well as defense infrastructure will be under threat. In such a case, Russia would consider itself free from the moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles.
Chinese authorities have yet to comment on US plans to deploy Typhon in Japan. When these complexes were brought to the Philippines, the Chinese Defense Ministry described it as a “dangerous trend,” “a threat to the security of regional countries and regional peace and stability.” China’s response to the deployment of Typhon in Japan is likely to be similar.
During Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China in May, a voluminous statement was issued announcing the intention to counter US deployment of intermediate-range and short-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific and European regions.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
