Taiwan Security Monitor

Author: Chris Dayton

Visualization: Philippines MQ-9A Deployment

Author: Chris Dayton

Per Aaron-Matthew Lariosa, the U.S. Marine Corps temporarily deployed a unit of MQ-9A drones to Basa Air Base in the Philippines beginning in 2024, supporting Philippine intelligence collection in the South China Sea and providing surveillance assistance of maritime threats.

Above is our visualization of Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 1’s deployment and the MQ-9A’s operational range:

    Visualization: Brahmos Missile Deployment

    Author: Chris Dayton, Ethan Connell

    The Philippine Marine Corps publicly unveiled its BrahMos cruise missile coastal defense system at a Marine Corps Coastal Defense Regiment facility in Zambales.

    Above is our visualization of the BrahMos system’s deployment site and reported operational range.

    Visualization: Taiwan Military Theatre Command

    Authors: Chris Dayton, Noah Reed

    In 2021, Taiwan’s military reorganized its command structure into several “operational zones” (作戰區), also often called “operational theaters” . These zones represent the integrated command of Taiwan’s different armed services.

    Recently, Taiwan’s MND announced each command will have an integrated UAV battalion by 2026. Our visualization shows the breakdown of each command’s territorial jurisdiction.

    Visualization: Deployment of U.S. Typhon Missile System in Japan

    Authors: Chris Dayton, Joe O’Connor

    On September 15, a U.S. Typhon Missile System, capable of firing the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM), was deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in southern Japan. This marks the first deployment of Typhon to Japan, and the platform will take part in the currently ongoing Resolute Dragon 25 exercise.

    Below is our visualization of the Typhon’s deployment location and operational range.

    Visualization: Delared Scarborough Shoal “Natural Nature Reserve”

    Author: Chris Dayton

    Following an incident on August 11th between a PLAN/CCG vessel and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel near Scarborough Shoal, the PRC recently announced the creation of a “national nature reserve” surrounding a portion of the Shoal.

    Our visualization shows the core and experimental areas, which respectively limit certain activities within their areas.

    Visualization: 9/5/25 Taiwan Strait Transit

    Authors: Joe O’Connor, Chris Dayton

    Our visualization of the northbound Taiwan Strait transit undertaken on 9/5 by HMCS Ville de Québec (FFH-332) and HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41). Track is approximate, based on Marine Traffic AIS data & public reporting.

    Visualization: New Type-12 and HVGP Missile Deployment Locations

    Author: Chris Dayton

    Research: Ethan Connell

    On August 29, Japan’s Ministry of Defense announced the deployment locations of improved Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles, as well as their Hyper Velocity Glide Projectiles (HVGP). Below is a TSM map showcasing those locations and the maximum range of those missiles.

    Visualization: Map of Scarborough Shoal Collision and Nearby Naval Activity

    Authors: Chris Dayton, Ethan Connell

    On August 11, 2025, a PLAN destroyer and a China Coast Guard cutter collided with each other in the waters around Scarborough Shoal during a close-quarters pursuit of a Philippine government vessel.

    Above is a visualization highlighting the reported collision site and the floating barrier at the shoal, along with USS Higgins’ approximate 8/12/2025 position and estimated track derived from public AIS data.

    Visualization: Han Kuang 41 Major Exercise Location Heat Map

    Author: Chris Dayton

    Where did Taiwan’s military place the greatest emphasis during 2025’s Han Kuang exercise? TSM created a heatmap to find out! It highlights the distribution and relative frequency of major exercises that occurred across Taiwan, including the outlying islands and Penghu.

    Visualization: Han Kuang 41 Major Exercise Locations

    Author: Chris Dayton

    Above is TSM’s poster breaking down Han Kuang 41! It contains the location and category of major exercises that occurred all over Taiwan, including the outlying islands and Penghu. We’ve mapped every disclosed and geolocated exercise, starting from mobilizations on the 7th.