The US makes a Taiwan NMESIS missile mess for China
While it has yet to finalize a $14 billion arms deal with Taiwan, the Trump administration is delivering a needed boost to deterrence against China. It is doing so with an anti-ship missile deployment to Japan’s westernmost island, Yonaguni. That island is just 60 nautical miles from Taiwan.
TL;DR
- The U.S. is deploying NMESIS anti-ship missiles to Japan's Yonaguni island, located 60 nautical miles from Taiwan.
- The NMESIS system uses Norway's Naval Strike Missile, capable of penetrating air defenses and hitting warships at ranges of over 100 nautical miles.
- This deployment aims to deter China by potentially denying early sea control to the PLAN in a conflict over Taiwan.
- China's Global Times expressed concerns, with a retired PLA officer warning of increased risks and Yonaguni potentially becoming an early target.
- The article suggests NMESIS units can relocate into forested areas on Yonaguni to avoid retaliatory fire.
- The deployment is seen as a signal of support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who has increased defense spending and suggested intervention if China attacks Taiwan.
- International allies, including Australia, Britain, Canada, and France, are participating in the 'Keen Sword' military exercise.
- The deployment is intended not to provoke war, but to increase Xi Jinping's calculations regarding the risks of invading Taiwan.
- The US Marine Corps recently signed a $404 million deal with Kongsberg for NSM production through 2034.