US showcases Typhon missile system during Exercise Resolute Dragon in Japan

The United States Army has showcased its land-based intermediate-range Typhon missile system in Iwakuni, Japan, for the first time as part of Exercise Resolute Dragon 2025, a large-scale annual bilateral exercise marking a crucial move between Washington and Tokyo amid threats from China.

According to the US Department of Defense, the two-week exercise ending on September 25 comprises around 20,000 Japanese and US marines as well as warships and missile batteries, and focuses on maritime defence and security across Japan.

The Typhon land-based weapon system, developed by Lockheed Martin, a US-based defence and aerospace manufacturer, comprises launchers, missiles, and a battery operations centre to address surface threats.

Colonel Wade Germann, commander of the task force operating the missile system, said at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni: "Employing multiple systems and different types of munitions, it can create dilemmas for the enemy."

The weapon system integrates a mobile launcher platform capable of firing both Tomahawk cruise missiles and Standard Missile-6 interceptors, offering a dual-missile configuration that allows it to engage a wide spectrum of targets from fixed land installations to naval assets and aerial threats.

The truck-mounted design enables rapid deployment and repositioning, making Typhon a versatile asset for multi-domain operations on dynamic battlefields. The system, developed under the United States Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, is tailored for the speed and flexibility required in modern conflicts.

"The speed with which it can be deployed enables us to forward position it when required expeditiously," Col Germann said, adding that Typhon will leave Japan after Exercise Resolute Dragon.

The missile system’s appearance in Japan comes after its deployment to the Philippines last year, a move that sparked sharp criticism from Beijing.

The development comes just days after Japan’s defence ministry confirmed sighting China’s newest aircraft carrier Fujian in the East China Sea near the disputed Senkaku Islands, according to Associated Press. Senkaku Islands is a territory administered by Japan but also claimed by Beijing as Diaoyu Islands.