US and Philippine marines train with BrahMos to deter China
US and Philippine marines conducted joint military exercises using the Indian-Russian developed BrahMos missile system to simulate defense against Chinese naval vessels. This drill marks a significant geopolitical shift as the US trains with a weapon system it has previously discouraged allies from using due to sanctions on Russia.
Why it matters
The exercise underscores the evolving security architecture in the Indo-Pacific and the US effort to bolster regional allies' long-range strike capabilities against China.
An unusual geopolitical twist just played out in the Indo-Pacific. US and Philippine forces trained together simulating the Brahmos anti-ship missile in Exercise MASA 2026, an annual drill between the Philippine Marine Corps and US Marine Corps. What makes this notable is that the Brahmos, the US Naval Institute reported. The Brahmos has jointly developed by India and Russia, this means that American forces are now training alongside a missile Washington has otherwise been trying to steer allies away from, given the ongoing sanctions on Moscow.The drills, held at a remote outpost in northern Luzon last month, practised building a kill chain using drones and ground-based anti-ship missiles against simulated targets.
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