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U.S. to place missiles within range of Beijing as Xi, Putin and Kim unite

Published: 02 Sep. 2025, 20:31

An SM-6 interceptor missile launches from the Typhon system during a joint U.S.-Australia exercise in northern Australia on July 16. [U.S. ARMY]

The United States plans to deploy its latest midrange missile system, Typhon, to Japan from Sept. 11 to 25 as part of a joint military exercise with Japanese forces in a move perceived to be a show of force against China, Russia and North Korea.

Typhon, capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of 1,550 to 2,500 kilometers (963 to 1,553 miles) and SM-6 interceptors with a range of up to 460 kilometers, will be stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and surrounding areas as part of the “Resolute Dragon 25” exercise.

The missile system's reach potentially places Beijing within striking distance depending on the missile configuration.

The Typhon system’s compact design heightens its strategic ambiguity. All components fit within a standard 12-meter (39-foot) shipping container, enabling covert deployment by truck, train, ship or aircraft. This flexibility strengthens its deterrent power by obscuring its location.

This marks the third time the United States has deployed the Typhon system outside its territory. Washington sent the system to Luzon Island in the Philippines near the Taiwan Strait in April 2024, drawing sharp criticism from China. In July this year, it deployed Typhon to Australia for a strike drill using SM-6 missiles.

The latest deployment puts both China and North Korea within range of the Tomahawk missiles carried by the Typhon system. The straight-line distance from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Beijing is approximately 1,540 kilometers. But the U.S. military does not plan to conduct live-fire drills with the system and will withdraw the equipment after the exercise ends.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing on Sept. 2. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The move comes despite strong opposition from China, Russia and North Korea.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang warned on Thursday that Japan should “act and speak with caution in the military and security domain” in response to the possibility of Typhon being deployed in Japan.

Russia criticized the move as a “provocative act that causes instability” while North Korea denounced it as a “dangerous provocation aimed at suffocating the Korean Peninsula.”

The U.S. military has also decided to indefinitely extend the deployment of six MQ-9 Reaper drones in Japan. The unmanned aerial vehicles have conducted surveillance and reconnaissance missions from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa since August last year. The Reaper, known as “the assassin in the sky,” was used to kill Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.

An MQ-9 Reaper drone operated by the U.S. Marine Corps is on display during the “America Fest 2025” event at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, in March. [U.S. MARINE CORPS]

Military analysts view the deployment as a response to an upcoming display of military unity among U.S. rivals.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to host a military parade in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are expected to attend the event.

“Typhon provides a complementary capability to existing U.S. and Japanese systems and underscores our commitment to innovation, modernization and the U.S.-Japan Alliance,” said Isaac Taylor, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Pacific. “This exercise highlights the importance of interoperability and our shared dedication to peace, security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

U.S. efforts to strengthen surveillance appear aimed at deterring the growing coordination between China, Russia and North Korea in the East China Sea.

"In the East China Sea, north of the region, also sees operations by ships illegally transporting resources and goods to North Korea in violation of sanctions imposed on it are also observed," a report from USNI said.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a joint statement explaining the extended deployment of the MQ-9 Reapers.

“By operating multiple aircraft in close proximity to China, Japan aims to closely monitor abnormal activities by neighboring countries' ships and naval vessels,” the statement read.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE SEUNG-HO [[email protected]]