Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,
The US army will deploy new medium-range missile systems to the Pacific area subsequent yr for the aim of “deterring” China from invading Taiwan, the commander of US Military Pacific Forces mentioned on Saturday.
In line with Protection One, Gen. Charles Flynn mentioned the deployment will embrace a land-based model of the Tomahawk missile, which was beforehand banned underneath the Intermediate-Vary Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a treaty with Russia the US withdrew from in 2019.
“We have now examined them and we have now a battery or two of them at present,” Flynn mentioned. “In 2024. We intend to deploy that system in your area. I’m not going to say the place and when. However I’ll simply say that we’ll deploy them.”
The INF Treaty beforehand banned the event of land-based missiles with a spread between 310 to three,400 miles. The US’s new land-based batteries that use Tomahawk missiles can hit targets of as much as 1,000 miles. The US Marines Corps activated its first Tomahawk battery over the summer time at a base in California.
The US withdrew from the INF over allegations {that a} new missile Russia was growing violated the treaty, which Moscow denied.
Russia additionally accused the US of probably working afoul of the treaty by putting in Aegis Ashore missile protection programs in Romania and Poland. The programs use Mk-41 vertical launchers, which might match Tomahawk missiles.
The brand new battery activated by the Marines makes use of an Mk-41 launch system cell, demonstrating that the Russian issues concerning the Aegis Methods usually are not unfounded. The US formally exited the INF treaty on August 2, 2019, and commenced testing INF-range missiles with ground-based Mk-41 launchers only a few weeks later.
Whereas Flynn wouldn’t say the place the Tomahawk missiles could be deployed, there are indications they could end up in Japan. The US can be increasing its army presence within the Philippines as a part of its buildup in opposition to China, which US army officers say is supposed to discourage battle.
However the US buildup, which Beijing views as a containment technique, has solely escalated tensions with China and seems to be making battle extra possible.
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