From the strategically vital Japanese island of Yonaguni, two Marine Corps missile systems could do much to deter a Chinese fleet intent on invading Taiwan.

The US Marine Corps is preparing to deploy a pair of advanced anti-ship missile systems to Yonaguni, one of Japan’s most strategically sensitive islands.

Located approximately 68 miles from Taiwan, the new deployment is part of the upcoming “Keen Sword” military exercises, scheduled to take place from October 19–29. For the first time, the Marines will bring two important weapons systems to Yonaguni: the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), a mobile anti-ship missile launcher, and the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS), a mobile air-defense system.

This deployment illustrates a significant transformation in Marine Corps strategy. Instead of concentrating on amphibious assaults, as has been the longstanding tradition, the Marines are increasingly pivoting towards small, mobile missile units across the Pacific in an effort to stay relevant in the 21st century competition between the US and China. The mission here is to make the surrounding waters dangerous for enemy warships, particularly in a potential conflict involving China and Taiwan.

The Marines Are Preparing to Defend Yonaguni Island—and Taiwan

Yonaguni sits at the southwestern end of Japan’s Nansei island chain, which is only about 68 miles from Taiwan. Yonaguni’s location places it near a vital maritime approach corridor to Taiwan, meaning the island occupies a strategically sensitive position between Taiwan, Japan’s Southwest islands, the East China Sea, and the Philippine Sea.

In a Taiwan conflict, the waters near Yonaguni would become one of the most crucial operating areas in the world. Positioning anti-ship missiles on Yonaguni could complicate the movement of hostile surface ships—a strategic importance that Japan already recognizes. Indeed, Japan established a radar and surveillance installation on the island back in 2016. China recognizes the importance of the waters, too; its maritime activity has increased in the area. And during China’s 2022 military exercises around Taiwan, a ballistic missile reportedly landed approximately 50 miles from Yonaguni. While the island is small, its geography gives it vast military importance.

About the Marine Corps’ New Missiles

NMESIS is a central component of the Marine Corps’ emerging littoral warfare strategy. The system combines unmanned “ROGUE-Fires” ground vehicles with a launcher carrying two Naval Strike Missiles (NSMs), developed by Norway’s Kongsberg with US defense giant RTX (Raytheon) involved in US production and integration.

The NSM is a subsonic, sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile that uses advanced guidance to locate and engage maritime targets. The publicly cited range is 115 miles, but the actual performance depends on the variant and operating conditions. If launched from Yonaguni, the 115-mile range would certainly encompass the waters around Taiwan’s northeastern approaches—not enough to cover the entire Taiwan Strait, but useful for threatening ships operating in the region.

While NMESIS provides offensive anti-ship firepower, MADIS helps protect deployed Marines from aerial threats. Designed for short-range air defense, MADIS uses vehicle-mounted sensors and weapons against threats such as drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft. This is especially important because isolated missile units would be vulnerable to Chinese attack. MADIS is designed to give the Marines some personal protection, rather than force them to rely on larger air-defense networks that would inevitably lag.

The new missile systems are part of the Marine Corps pivot under the its “Force Design” modernization, which features a shift away from some traditional heavy equipment like tanks and towards a greater emphasis on mobile expeditionary units, precision missiles, drones, and sensing and reconnaissance in contested littoral environments.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.

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