Powerful U.S. missile system to be stored at Okinawa’s Kadena Air Base

The U.S. military conducts the first live-fire exercise of the Typhon midrange missile system outside of the continental United States in Australia's Northern Territory during the Talisman Sabre joint exercises in July last year. The successful strike validated combined joint targeting and command-and-control interoperability between 3MDTF and combined-joint forces, highlighting the strength of the Australia-U.S. Alliance and the ability to deploy advanced, land-based maritime strike capabilities in support of regional security. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Perla Alfaro) | U.S. ARMY

Sep 28, 2026

A powerful U.S. missile system that has been deployed in Japan for joint military exercises with the Self-Defense Forces will be stored at a key military base in Okinawa Prefecture indefinitely, according to the Okinawa Defense Bureau.

The U.S. Typhon midrange missile system is believed capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles as far as 1,600 kilometers — effectively putting parts of China and Russia within striking distance. 

The advanced weapon was deployed for the allies’ Orient Shield exercises for the first time this month. Those exercises, which began Sept. 8 and ran through Thursday, came after the Typhon was sent to Kagoshima Prefecture — another first — for the joint Valiant Shield drills with the SDF in June.

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