The "Tifeng" land-based medium-range missile system, which the US Army focused on deploying in the Pacific, is posing an increasingly great challenge to regional peace. According to the US "Warrior Maven" website on the 12th, the US Army also plans to equip the "Tifeng" system with hypersonic missiles in an attempt to gain greater deterrence. Chinese experts said that there have been signs of equipping the US military with more advanced missiles to the "Tifeng" system, but this land-based intermissile system is relatively complex. The "Tifeng" system deployed in the Western Pacific during wartime is easily discovered by opponents and hit by counterattacks.

  According to reports, as part of the U.S. military's weapons upgrade program, the U.S. Pacific Army is working with the Navy to develop new maneuver tactics and combat concepts to support rapidly growing maneuverable strike capabilities, including the "Tifeng" medium-range missile system deployed to the Philippines in recent years. "This will be a hypersonic weapon that can provide multiple types of combat methods," said Gavin Gardner, commander of the 8th War Zone Support Command of the U.S. Army. According to the report, after years of development, the "Tifeng" medium-range missile system has now become a powerful and influential new weapon and equipment. In addition to being able to launch the "Tomahawk" cruise missile with a range of 1,800 kilometers and the "Standard-6" missile with a range of 380 kilometers, it is also being equipped with the new precision strike missile of the US Army. Today the system will also integrate hypersonic weapons, "this will be a capability with important tactical and combat significance."

  Gardner explained that this capability is in line with the initiative of Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, that “a maneuverable hypersonic land-based missile system like 'Tifeng' will enable U.S. commanders to target moving ships at sea, airplanes or land targets and integrate these capabilities into the new land-based multi-domain attack system.” Gardner stressed that the U.S. Pacific Army is working with the Navy to develop new tactics related to the weapon through existing multi-domain task forces. Compared to traditional modes with fixed launches, this maneuverable hypersonic weapon improves battlefield survivability and enables new range of attack options.

  The complete "Tifeng" missile system consists of a variety of large vehicles.

  "This is a new capability for the U.S. Army and we are constantly improving the relevant tactics, technologies and procedures to truly provide combat maneuvers to commanders so that they can provide firepower and demonstrate strike effects at the time and location of our choice," Gardner said.

  It is worth noting that the US Army has previously deployed the "Tifeng" system to the Philippines, and plans to equip the newly formed multi-domain task force with more "Tifeng" systems in the future. US Pacific Army Commander Clark declared that in order to perform tasks in front-line areas, including the First Island Chain, the United States has established two multi-domain task forces in the Indo-Pacific region, and a third similar force is also being formed. Clark said that to assist these troops in their mission, the U.S. Army has deployed new missile systems, including the "Tifeng" missile launch system. According to him, “the system can strike ships, aircraft and land targets as far as mainland China.”

  Chinese experts interviewed by Global Times reporters said that the "Tifeng" system was originally an emergency product launched by the US military to fill the gap in land-based medium-range missile capabilities after withdrawing from the US-Russia Intermediate-Range Rail Treaty. It essentially moved the US Navy's MK-41 vertical launch system to a ground-based mobile launch vehicle, and used the system to launch the "Tomahawk" cruise missile and the "Standard-6" missile. The "Tifeng" system provides the U.S. Army with a precisely guided land-based medium-range strike capability that can strike maritime targets from coastal locations, according to the "Warrior Maven" website. "Depining in the northern Philippines, 'Tifeng' can include up to 1,200 miles of waters into the range of attack, which means its combat radius covers about two-thirds of the waters between China and the Philippines."

  Chinese experts said that the Tomahawk cruise missile currently equipped with the "Tifeng" system is the previous generation of subsonic cruise missiles, and its flight speed and stealth performance are already behind. Although the range is relatively long, its actual penetration capability is limited. However, the "Tifeng" system emphasized the potential for future upgrades at the beginning of its design. The MK41 vertical launch system itself can be compatible with a variety of types of air defense, anti-ship and ground attack cruise missiles, including the US military's new generation of AGM-158 series long-range stealth cruise missiles. In addition, there is no practical difficulty in further replacing the "Tifeng" system with a larger size launch device. Currently, the US Army and the Navy are jointly developing hypersonic missiles. The Dark Hawk hypersonic missile system equipped by the Army is scheduled to be officially put into service by the end of this year and will also be given priority to multi-domain task forces. Therefore, it is not impossible for the US Army to integrate it into the "Tifeng" system from the perspective of equipment simplification in the future. However, Chinese experts believe that the composition of the "Tifeng" system is relatively complex, consisting of command vehicles, multiple missile launch vehicles, power supply and support vehicles. The wartime goals are relatively obvious, and it is difficult for the "Tifeng" system deployed in the first island chain to hide its whereabouts.

  China has repeatedly expressed opposition to the United States' insistence on deploying the "Tifeng" system around China. Mao Ning, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said that the "Tifeng" inter-missile system is often equipped with both nuclear power, not a defensive weapon, but a strategic offensive weapon. The Philippines cooperates with the US to introduce "Tifeng" which is a typical example of harming others and oneself.

[Editor in charge: Wang Jinzhi]