The U.S. Army recently announced that it has deployed a Typhoon missile system in the Philippines for U.S.-Philippine military exercises. The Typhoon is a land-based short- and medium-range missile weapon system that can launch Tomahawk missiles or Standard 6 missiles. Deployed in the Philippines, the goal is clearly to target China and to deter the PLA. Since the beginning of the Cold War, China has been the target of strategic nuclear strikes by the United States. During the Cold War, the United States formulated a detailed nuclear strike plan against China, and some third- and fourth-tier cities, and even some small cities with unique cultural heritage, which had no industry, were also listed as nuclear targets. After the end of the Cold War, strategic nuclear disarmament was initiated, and the United States and Russia reduced the number of nuclear warheads in accordance with the treaty. At present, the United States retains no more than 6,000 nuclear warheads, and no more than 1,500 are deployed, and many of them are still allocated to China, including the Minuteman 3 missiles launched from land silos, the Trident 2 missiles launched by the Navy's nuclear submarines, and the B-61 nuclear bombs dropped by the air force. These strategic nuclear weapons are the things that really have deterrent significance for China, and the United States has deployed a few conventional missiles to the Philippines with great fanfare, which does not pose much threat to China, but is only a gesture to show the outside world and the Philippines the image that "the United States is a responsible ally."
However, the deployment of land-based Tomahawk missiles by the United States in the Philippines allows us to judge the fear of the PLA from the bottom of the heart of the US military. Land-based launch Tomahawks are not a new thing, as early as the height of the Cold War in the 80s of the last century, the Soviet Union had an absolute superiority in short- and medium-range missiles. Models such as the short-range Oka and the medium-range SS20 have made NATO tremble and sleepless at night. In order to provide a sense of security to its allies in Europe, the U.S. military began deploying land-based Tomahawk missiles at Greenham Comeman Air Base in the United Kingdom in November 1983. Such missiles carry small nuclear warheads with a yield of between 10,000 and 50,000 tons. Taking off from the UK, the maximum range is just enough to hit Moscow. After the United States and the Soviet Union signed the INF Treaty, the US military removed and destroyed these short-range nuclear warheads and Tomahawks.
Therefore, if the Tomahawk missile really wants to form a deterrent effect, it must use a nuclear warhead, and a conventional warhead has no deterrent effect. The Tomahawk deployed by the U.S. Army to the Philippines this time is a version of the Navy's conventional warhead. In terms of range, it is deployed in the northern part of Luzon, and the maximum range can just cover Beijing. But with conventional warheads, it is obvious that there is a lack of heart. Moreover, the Tomahawk missile is a technology in the seventies and eighties of the last century, with slow flight speed and lack stealth capabilities. After the Gulf War, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the national defense industry had a round of research on the "new three-strike, three-defense" policy, and the early warning and interception technology for Tomahawk missiles had long been solved, and a network composed of early warning aircraft and low-altitude blind radars could easily detect and shoot down. As for the Standard 6 missile, the range can only cover the Spratly islands and reefs, and the warhead is limited in power and has only tactical significance.
We can use an analogy if a ruffian with a stick shouts at the door, the host can turn a blind eye. But if the hooligan has a gun in his hand, the nature is completely different, and the owner must take severe countermeasures. The U.S. Army also seems to have a lot of experience in how to be a good ruffian. By deploying conventional warheads, you can either show your allies that you are doing what you say you want to threaten China, or you can tell China that you have a stick in my hand, and you can put on a show, don't take it seriously.
There are two hidden points worth paying attention to about this deployment.
First of all, the US media reported that this is the first time that the US Army has deployed tactical missiles in the "Chinese backyard". The Philippines is an ally of the United States, so how did it become China's backyard? The term "backyard" was coined by former US President Monroe, who believed that Latin America was the backyard of the United States, and that the European powers should not get involved. Since the South China Sea region is described as China's "backyard," it can be seen that US public opinion has tacitly acquiesced that this is China's territory.
Second, where is the US Army's "Dark Eagle" hypersonic missile? In the hypersonic weapons development projects carried out by the three US armed forces, the Army's "Dark Eagle" has made the fastest progress, and it has repeatedly displayed and boasted about its own Dark Eagle missile. According to the plan, this model should be installed in 2024, but so far, the first full-system test flight of the Dark Eagle has not been implemented, and deployment within the year is almost impossible.
Therefore, do not look at the US military blowing missile deployment into the sky, just ask, "Where are your nuclear warheads?" What about your Dark Eagle, and the US Army's face will certainly not be able to hang up.