The Philippines: a new laboratory for US cutting-edge missiles and drones
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met at the Pentagon on July 21, 2025, to discuss shared security concerns at the Indo-Pacific region and reaffirm the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty. Photo from US DoD
By: Manuel Mogato| Published: July 25, 2025
Reading Time: 5 minutes
MANILA — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth planned to deploy more advanced missiles and drones in the Philippines to strengthen its deterrence capabilities in the face of rising threats from China.
“We’re also deploying new cutting-edge missiles and unnamed — excuse me, unmanned systems and revitalizing our defense industrial bases.” Hegseth said during bilateral talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. at the Pentagon.
“Together, we must forge a strong shield of real deterrence for peace, ensuring the long-term security and prosperity for our nations.”
Marcos also brought in the meeting his National Security Adviser, retired general Eduardo Ano, who met with US State Secretary Marco Rubio last week in Washington
Both Washington and Manila have been expressing serious concern over threats from China in the South China Sea, particularly in Bajo de Masinloc, which Beijing seized control in June 2012.
Hegseth’s plan was in Washington’s strategic shift to the Indo-Pacific region as the priority theater as it European allies pledged early this year to boost its defense spending to counter threats from Russia.
The United States has convinced its European North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to raise defense spending to at least 5 percent of their GDP, investing in troop training and upgrading military platforms, including missile defenses.
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With Europe sharing the burden of lifting the heavy load of defense in the Euro-Atlantic theater Washington can focus more on the Indo-Pacific area.
At the Shanghai-la Dialogue in Singapore. Hegseth failed to convince its Asian allies and partners to raise defense spending to 5 percent of their GDP.
Only Singapore has been spending more than 5 percent of its GDP on defense.
The Philippines spent only about 1 percent on GDP on defense, which led the US and Japan to pour military aid.
Japan has been offering its Abukuma-class destroyer escort, giving the Philippines more firepower and enhancing its anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.
It has also offered more aerial surveillance equipment, like TC-90 planes.
On the other hand, the US has donated aerial, surface, and submersible drones and deployed its advance missile systems, like the medium range capability Typhon missile launcher and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NEMESIS).
Before he left office, former US President Joe Biden promised to transfer four second-hand US Coast Guard cutters and three used C-130H Hercules transport planes.
It was still unknown what advanced and cutting edge hypersonic missile system the US will deploy in the Philippines.
But the Philippines would be first country outside the US to test new missile and drone systems under a new deal.
US company Raytheon has been developing a new generation missile SM-6 while the US Army has the “Dark Eagle” Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW).
Washington has been turning Manila as a laboratory for its new missile system. These systems were tested first outside continental US, like NMESIS.
There were reports the US has brought in land-based SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles in the country, an offensive weapon that could target Chinese cities, which would anger Beijing.
The US has been trying to deploy more missile systems in the region as its competition with China intensified, but many host countries were lukewarm, including Japan which hosted US military forces for decades.
In South Korea, the US had deployed its advanced Theater High Altitude Area Defebse (THAAD) Systems in 2016 as added measure against missile threats from North Korea.
However, China has opposed it.
The Philippines, under Marcos, was willing to host US anti-missile defense to boost deterrence.
But the presence of US missile systems has some adverse effects because these could be magnets of attacks from US adversaries, like China, North Korea, and Russia.
It could ignite a potential arms race in the region as many countries would attempt to build missile defenses and offensive capabilities.
Australia, India, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan might be tempted to build missile defenses and develop long-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
Apart from missiles, the US also planned to deploy drones to defend the Indo-Pacific region, particularly Taiwan.
The US has been testing its experimental surveillance and logistic drones during bilateral exercises with the Philippines.
Armed drones were known to be taking off and landing in military bases and civilian airfields.
The US has not abandoned plans to use Laoag airport in Marcos’ home province Ilocos Norte as a drone base.
China has threatened to invade the self-ruled island, which it considered a renegade province.
It has stepped up aerial and maritime drills around the island, prompting the US to predict a Chinese invasion by 2027.
A conflict over Taiwan between the US and China would drag other countries, like Australia, Japan, and the Philippines, testing the “one-theater” operations suggested by Tokyo during Hegseth’s visit in March to Japan.
It would also test Hegseth’s interim National Defense Strategic Guidelines set in March, which focused on drones and missile defense in the region.
The Philippines may be plunged into war due to Hegseth’s plan to deploy drones and missiles to its former colony and oldest security partner, a new laboratory for testing its drones and missile systems.
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