On August 28, 2025, the United States announced the temporary deployment of the Typhon medium-range missile system at Japan’s Iwakuni Air Base. This move follows Washington’s withdrawal from the INF Treaty in 2019 and rapid weapons development thereafter.
Typhon is essentially a land-based, mobile version of the Navy’s MK41 vertical launch system, capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles (range >2,000 km) and Standard-6 interceptors (several hundred km). From Iwakuni, its strike radius covers China’s northeast to eastern seaboard, Russia’s Far East, and the entire Korean Peninsula.
Unlike fixed facilities that require months of construction, Typhon can be airlifted by C-17 transports and deployed in just days. Its core package—four launch vehicles, a command vehicle, and support trucks—ensures high mobility and survivability.
From Aircraft Carriers to Land-Based Systems
For decades, U.S. carrier strike groups symbolized deterrence in East Asia. Aircraft carriers acted as mobile command hubs, projecting firepower through dozens of fighters. Yet their sheer size makes them vulnerable to modern anti-ship weapons.
China’s DF-series missiles already cover the First Island Chain. Russia’s Zircon hypersonics and North Korea’s Hwasong-class systems further complicate carrier operations. With satellites and radar networks, adversaries can track and target carriers, shrinking their maneuvering space and survivability in open waters.
Typhon marks a strategic pivot: carriers can retreat beyond the Second Island Chain, coordinating strikes remotely, while mobile land-based batteries hide in Japan’s terrain. Warning times for adversaries shrink from hours to mere minutes.
Japan’s Missile Expansion
Since 2022, Japan has advanced the Type 12 anti-ship missile upgrade. Once limited to 120 km, the improved version now reaches nearly 1,000 km, using GPS mid-course guidance and terrain-matching terminal navigation for meter-level accuracy.
On August 29, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Defense confirmed deployments at Kuma Garrison (Kumamoto) and Shizuoka, replacing older Type 88s. These enhanced missiles feature multi-platform compatibility, including land-based launchers and shipborne versions, facilitating integration with Typhon.
Japan’s doctrine shift since 2023, increasing missile spending to 20% of the defense budget, includes purchasing U.S. Tomahawks for redundancy. Its expanding missile belt across the Ryukyus, Hokkaido, and Kyushu now covers East China Sea to the Taiwan Strait.
Why Japan’s Bases Matter More Than Carriers
China, Russia, and North Korea now recognize that land-based systems pose a greater immediate threat. Carriers can be monitored or deterred, but Typhon batteries are mobile, concealed, and capable of rapid relocation. Destroying a carrier requires a coordinated salvo; suppressing Japanese bases can neutralize an entire firepower network.
On August 30, 2025, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that Moscow and Beijing would respond jointly, including militarily. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un inspected missile factories on September 1, emphasizing capabilities against land-based targets. China’s Foreign Ministry reiterated opposition, citing regional destabilization.
Technical Superiority of Typhon and Type 12
- Typhon: ~30 tons, cold launch mechanism, rapid reload, 40% cheaper than carrier-based sorties. Tomahawks fly low-altitude radar-evading routes with <10 m error margin.
- Type 12 upgrade: adds infrared seekers, boosting night strike accuracy by 30%, and Link-16 data link for U.S.-Japan satellite targeting integration.
During the upcoming Resolute Dragon 2025 exercise (Sept 11–25), Typhon will conduct multi-domain suppression drills, shifting the focus from carrier groups to land-based nodes.
Escalation Risks
Land-based deployments heighten crisis instability. Carrier locations can be negotiated diplomatically; once Typhon is in Japan, dismantling is far harder. Bases are sited close to China’s coast, placing vast areas within range.
In response:
- Russia fields Iskander-M variants for mobile target suppression.
- North Korea develops improved Hwasong-18 land-attack missiles.
- China expands multi-layered missile defense, with sensors covering the East China Sea and near-instant response capability.
Strategic Implications
Japan’s site selection favors flat terrain for mobility—e.g., Kumamoto with its first batch of 10 Type 12 launch vehicles aimed at the Taiwan Strait. Domestic warhead production and imported guidance kits cut costs by 25%. Integrated with MQ-9 drones, real-time targeting makes this system a robust firepower web.
Meanwhile, Typhon’s logistics allow each support truck to sustain 20-missile salvos per resupply, without naval coordination. Japan’s FY2025 plan includes five automated storage sites for 500 missiles.
Conclusion
East Asia has entered a land-based missile race. For China, Russia, and North Korea, suppressing Japanese bases has become the primary strategic priority, eclipsing the aircraft carrier threat. Typhon reached combat readiness in just six years, while Type 12 upgrades took two. This rapid iteration drives all three nations to invest in counter-systems.
Ignoring Japan’s missile bases would concede land dominance in the Western Pacific—a risk none of them are willing to take.
References
- U.S. Department of Defense briefing, August 2025
- Japan Ministry of Defense deployment plan, August 2025
- Russian Foreign Ministry statements, August–September 2025
- Media coverage: Kyodo News, TASS, Xinhua
