Is US naval activity in Philippine waters to counter China’s Typhon objection?

USNS Victorious’ presence near Luzon is to signal Washington’s commitment to the Philippines amid the Typhon row with China, analysts say

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US soldiers conduct a Tomahawk missile launch from the Mid-Range Capability, or Typhon, launcher at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California last year. Photo: Handout via US Army

Published: 5:00pm, 1 Jan 2025

A US Navy ship’s recent appearance near the coastline of the Philippines could be an attempt to track Chinese submarine movement in disputed waters and also signal Washington’s unwavering support for its longtime ally over the deployment of the Typhon missile system, according to observers.

In the early hours of December 29, the USNS Victorious was identified near Luzon island, according to SeaLight director and retired US Air Force Colonel Ray Powell, days after Beijing warned Manila against retaining the Typhon stationed in the Philippines since last April for joint military exercises.

The American surveillance ship is usually deployed for underwater surveillance and submarine-hunting missions.

“While the Chinese coastguard patrols around Scarborough Shoal in the Philippines, the [US] ocean surveillance ship patrols nearby,” Powell posted on social media platform X.

In a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Powell was quoted as saying that Victorious was also last seen in the same area in September.

Muhammad Faizal Bin Abdul Rahman, a research fellow at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told This Week in Asia the ship was likely on a mission to detect Chinese submarines.