US and Partner Nations Sink Two Decommissioned Ships in Major Pacific Exercise

During Balikatan 2026, the largest-ever iteration of the exercise, US, Philippine, Japanese and Canadian forces sank two decommissioned vessels in a two-day strike operation. Japan fired a Type 88 missile outside its borders for the first time, hitting a Philippine ship about 46 miles away. The U.S. Army fired a Tomahawk from the Typhon launcher. The exercise concluded on May 9, 2026.

Balikatan 2026 exercise

• ▪The U.S. Army fired a Tomahawk long-range missile from the Typhon launcher in the Philippines during Balikatan 2026
• ▪Balikatan 2026 was the largest-ever Balikatan exercise
• ▪The Balikatan 2026 closing ceremony occurred on May 9, 2026
• ▪Japanese infantry troops participated in a live-fire counter-landing wargame on a beach in the Philippines during Balikatan 2026
• ▪Balikatan 2026 evolved from a bilateral exercise to a full-scale, multinational mission rehearsal for the defense of the Philippines
• ▪Adm. Samuel Paparo is the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command boss

Japan missile deployment

• ▪The Type 88 missile fired by Japan hit and sank a decommissioned Philippine ship about 46 miles away
• ▪Shinjiro Koizumi is the Japanese Defense Minister
• ▪The Type 88 missile firing in the Philippines marked the first time Japan has fired the missile outside its own borders
• ▪Japan Self-Defense Forces fired a Type 88 missile during a multinational exercise in the Philippines in May 2026
• ▪Japan's cabinet lifted the self-imposed prohibition on collective self-defense in 2014

Philippine defense posture

• ▪Philippine defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. stated that the Philippine military can interoperate with the Type 88 missile system in the future after seeing how it works
• ▪The maritime strike exercise in Northern Luzon occurred in May 2026
• ▪The U.S. and partner nations sank two decommissioned ships during the Pacific exercise in May 2026

Taiwan contingency concerns

• ▪The Marine Corps' NMESIS shore-to-ship anti-missile system was displayed near the Type 88 during the maritime strike in Northern Luzon
• ▪Sarang Shidore of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft characterized the Type 88 and Tomahawk missiles as Taiwan-specific weapon systems for a major interstate war between the U.S. and China
• ▪Sarang Shidore stated that the missile platforms deployed in the Philippines do not align with South China Sea goals, which are separate from the Taiwan question
• ▪Brad Glosserman is senior advisor for Pacific Forum

China response

• ▪China criticized Japan's involvement in Balikatan 2026, saying the countries participating were playing with fire
• ▪China sent armed anti-ship bombers over the Scarborough Shoal after Balikatan 2026

Perspective of China

• ▪China criticized Japan's involvement in Balikatan 2026, saying the countries participating were playing with fire
• ▪China sent armed anti-ship bombers over the Scarborough Shoal after Balikatan 2026

Perspective of Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

• ▪Sarang Shidore of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft characterized the Type 88 and Tomahawk missiles as Taiwan-specific weapon systems for a major interstate war between the U.S. and China
• ▪Sarang Shidore stated that the missile platforms deployed in the Philippines do not align with South China Sea goals, which are separate from the Taiwan question