This new weapon from the United States has announced its "formation of combat power" and will withdraw from the system of the China Missile Treaty | Typhoon | United States
According to US media reports, the latest land-based medium range missile system of the US Army, Typhoon, has recently successfully launched the Tomahawk cruise missile. This marks that the "Difeng" land-based intermediate navigation system has fully developed its combat capabilities.
Fill in gaps
Data chart: US Army's Tefeng land-based missile system
The report states that the "Typhoon" land-based missile system is a product of the United States' withdrawal from the China Missile Treaty. The China Missile Treaty prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing missiles with a range of 500 to 5500 kilometers, and the US Army has been lacking relevant strike weapons.
Military observer Du Wenlong stated that the US Army is attempting to fill the gap in its medium range strike capabilities with the help of the "Tefeng" system.
Du Wenlong:
"Difeng" is a universal system. If it can launch tactical Tomahawk missiles, including those carrying nuclear warheads, within a range of 500 to 5500 kilometers in the future, the US Army will turn tactical effects into strategic outcomes through medium range conventional and nuclear strike capabilities.
If "Difeng" is equipped with "Standard 6" missiles for air defense and anti missile operations, both the exercise area and the control space will be further increased.
This indicates that the US Army is currently striving to achieve some form of independent combat overseas.
"Show off muscles" and "share cake"
Data image: "Haima Si" high mobility rocket launcher system
Du Wenlong further pointed out that the high-profile promotion of the "Difeng" land-based missile system by the US Army this time is not only to "show off muscles", but also to "share the cake".
Du Wenlong:
This is an important component of advancing the United States' "great power competition" strategy. The United States is engaging in "great power competition" and requires all military branches to be included. Not only are there aircraft carriers at sea and bombers in the air, but there are also Marine Corps on the island. The army also needs to use medium range weapon systems in the surrounding areas to play a role.
In addition, the US Army wants to be innovative. In the development process of various branches of the US military, the army has been in a relatively passive position for a long time. If it can occupy a place through the medium range launch system, the US Army can have better development space. This is also an inevitable product of vicious competition between the US military branches.
There are some criticisms within the US military
Data chart: Timothy Ray, Commander of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command
Some analysts believe that the US Army's "Tefeng" system is competing with the US Navy and Air Force for budget. Timothy Ray, Commander of the US Air Force's Global Strike Command, strongly criticized the US Army's new plan to establish a long-range missile base in the Pacific, calling the idea expensive, repetitive, and "foolish.".
Du Wenlong explained this.
Du Wenlong:
This indicates that within the framework of joint operations by the US military, the relationship between different branches of the military is relatively cold, and each branch of the military is guarding its own "one acre, three parts" of land.
The US Army currently wants to establish a firepower strike system that connects distant, medium, close, high, and low levels. This idea is technically feasible, but the US Army needs to develop a reconnaissance system in order to have the same firepower and deterrence capabilities as the US Navy and Air Force.
There is a possibility of global deployment
Data chart: The US C-17 large transport aircraft uses the "ammunition tray" long-range air-to-air weapon system to launch cruise missiles
At present, public opinion is generally highly concerned about the deployment location of the "Difeng" land-based system. According to reports, many US allies and partners have publicly stated that they are "not interested" in deploying US ground long-range strike capabilities in their own countries.
Du Wenlong believes that it is not ruled out that the "Difeng" system may be deployed globally.
Du Wenlong:
The deployment method of "Difeng" is what the United States claims to be mobile deployment. The US Army can achieve rapid movement of land-based long-range strike capabilities through transport planes and maritime transport systems - wherever the hotspots are, the "Difeng" is there; Wherever the battlefield is, the US Army is there.
This mobile deployment method allows the US military to balance "priority" and "non priority". Indo Pacific and Europe are strategic priorities for the US military, but it is not ruled out that the presence of Typhoon Difeng may occur in other hot spots around the world.