US Forces In Japan Train NMESIS Anti-Ship Firepower In Coastal Exercise Preparing Sea Denial.

U.S. Marines trained with Japan on NMESIS coastal strikes in Okinawa during Resolute Dragon 25, underscoring efforts to counter China’s naval power.

On September 20, 2025, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Littoral Combat Team carried out notional NMESIS fire missions at Camp Hansen during Resolute Dragon 25. The annual exercise in Japan, conducted alongside the Japan Self-Defense Forces, aims to strengthen command, control and multi-domain maneuver for operations in contested maritime terrain. According to information shared by the US Army on DVIDS the training highlights increasing pressure to deter Russian activities and China’s naval buildup through credible littoral defenses positioned forward in contested waters.
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Strategically, NMESIS alters deterrence dynamics in the Indo-Pacific by giving small Marine units the ability to threaten adversary naval movements from dispersed terrain (Picture source: U.S. Army)

The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System is a mobile, ground-based anti-ship capability that mounts Naval Strike Missiles on a JLTV-derived chassis. Designed for rapid deployment and concealment across dispersed island positions, it allows Marine formations to deliver precision strikes against hostile vessels. By integrating a proven missile with a light launcher, NMESIS provides a compact and highly mobile package suited for expeditionary littoral forces tasked with sea denial.

Development of the system followed the Marine Corps’ Ground-Based Anti-Ship Missile requirement, with emphasis on modularity and leveraging existing components. The Naval Strike Missile was selected for its low observable profile and advanced seeker, while JLTV mobility ensures deployment in austere environments. Initial deliveries reached Marine Littoral Regiments in 2024, and training across the Pacific has validated its role in distributed operations, including during exercises in Japan and the Philippines.

Compared to legacy coastal defense batteries, NMESIS emphasizes mobility and survivability over volume of fire. Russia’s heavier coastal complexes may deliver longer-range salvos, but their fixed positions create vulnerabilities. NMESIS, by contrast, combines precision, rapid relocation and integration into joint fire networks, resembling NATO land-based NSM launchers but distinguished by its expeditionary character. This makes it particularly suited to reinforcing island chains where agility outweighs static firepower.

Strategically NMESIS alters deterrence dynamics in the Indo Pacific by giving small Marine units the capacity to threaten adversary naval movements from dispersed terrain. Its deployment complicates hostile planning by creating unpredictable firing positions strengthens allied posture in critical chokepoints and supports the US Marine Corps concept of distributed maritime operations. The system enables forces to conduct coastal strikes from austere locations making it harder for opponents to neutralize launchers and forcing them to account for a wider range of threats across contested waters.

The drills at Resolute Dragon 25 highlight a practical shift in U.S. coastal defense doctrine: from static batteries to mobile strike packages embedded within expeditionary formations. For allies and adversaries alike, the message is clear, NMESIS is no longer a concept but an operational tool that reshapes littoral defense and signals U.S. commitment to maintaining sea control in contested regions.

Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.