The Philippine Marine Corps unveiled its first supersonic anti-ship missile battery in early November 2025, a milestone that dovetails with deepening defense collaboration.
The BrahMos missile battery, highlighted in a video celebrating the Marine Corps’ 75th anniversary, is one of three the Philippines acquired from India. With a range of 290 kilometers, it is based in Western Luzon and operated by the Shore-based Anti-ship Missile Battalion, U.S. Naval Institute News reported.
Emphasizing the BrahMos’ capacity to advance coastal defense, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recognized the Marine Corps’ transformation from a small volunteer unit to a sophisticated archipelagic defense force and called for personnel to continue adapting to emerging challenges.
The land-based BrahMos systems allow Manila to hold potentially adversarial vessels at risk, including those in waters near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines approved the acquisition in 2022. Naval personnel first trained with the weapons system in India in early 2023.
“As the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, the BrahMos missiles will provide deterrence against any attempt to undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights, especially in the West Philippine Sea,” then-Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said when Manila reached the deal with New Delhi. The West Philippine Sea is Manila’s exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, most of which China illegitimately claims in defiance of international law.
The Philippines has steadily grown partnerships on intermediate- and long-range missile systems. For example, its treaty ally the United States deployed the land-based mid-range capability to the Philippines for exercise Salaknib in 2024, and training on the launcher continued into 2025. The Philippine- and U.S.-led multinational exercise Balikatan also included precision missiles in 2025.
Manila has welcomed further missile deployments for enhanced training, interoperability and regional deterrence.
The addition of the BrahMos complements the Philippine-U.S. alliance and reinforces a multinational strategy. As Manila expands its procurement network and secures a long-range precision strike capability, it also continues aligning with the U.S. on doctrine and platforms for mid- and long-range fires. Joint training exposes personnel to missile logistics, command and control procedures, and other military principles. That creates an operational base for the BrahMos and other systems, which can integrate into a wider defensive approach.
Interoperability and layered capabilities also project deterrence, signaling to potential adversaries that the Philippines both benefits from external assistance and is bolstering its own capacity.
Meanwhile, Manila continues formalizing defense arrangements worldwide. Supplementing its mutual defense treaty with the U.S., the Philippines has recently struck security agreements with Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and others.
FORUM, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, has highlighted Philippine defense agreements through the years, including:
- Defense acquisition and other agreements with India.
- Expanding collaboration with the U.S.
- Advancing cooperation with Vietnam in the South China Sea.
- Deepening defense agreements with Australia.
- Maritime security engagements with the United Kingdom.
- Strengthening cooperation with Japan.
- Multinational military training in the Philippines.
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