Setting a new precedent in the incorporation of expeditionary capabilities, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) deployed its new NMESIS (Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System) anti-ship missile system in Japan for the first time. The system’s arrival took place on July 10, when the 12th Medium Range Missile Battery (MMSL) of the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR), part of the 3rd Marine Division, transported it to the Japanese archipelago to begin a cycle of testing and training.
The system was positioned in Okinawa, centered at the Camp Hansen training area, where critical aspects of its operation were evaluated, such as system survivability in this operational environment, mobility, and the execution of simulated fire missions. According to Captain Kurt James, commander of the 12th MMSL Battery, the training allowed them to “refine the ability to coordinate responses to potential threats, reinforcing the commitment to regional security,” alluding to the regional context marked by China’s military advances in the Indo-Pacific.
In detail, NMESIS is an anti-ship system launched from an unmanned JLTV ROGUE-Fires vehicle, armed with two NSM anti-ship missiles supplied by the Norwegian company Kongsberg. These missiles have an estimated range of 185 km, making the system a key tool for area denial and maritime control operations in highly contested littoral scenarios.
By the end of 2024, in November, the USMC received its first units of the system after completing testing and design refinement by the companies and organizations involved, thus beginning its deployment for operator training, as well as its integration in combined exercises with regional allies.
For example, during the Balikatan 25 and Kamandag 9 exercises in the Philippines, Marine Corps units deployed the NMESIS system in real operational environments, demonstrating its capabilities and integration with other forces, underlining its value in sustaining deterrence strategy in the South China Sea. It is also worth mentioning that the force decided to abandon its land-based Tomahawk cruise missile launcher program in order to concentrate resources on consolidating NMESIS as the backbone of its future expeditionary anti-ship capabilities.
Finally, following the roadmap set by the force, NMESIS will continue its course on Japanese soil when it participates in Exercise Resolute Dragon 2025 between September 11 and 25. This combined activity is of special importance to the Marines, since other systems with similar functions will also be deployed, such as the new missile launcher systems of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and even marking the first deployment of the new Typhon launcher system of the U.S. Army, capable of employing both anti-aircraft and land-attack missiles.
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