Berlin, Germany (Weltexpress). The hawks in the Pentagon have discovered a cheap way to massively expand US firepower at sea without building expensive new warships. Their (illegal) trick: hiding short- and medium-range missiles in containers on civilian ships, ready to be launched.
Pentagon strategists R. Robinson Harris and Colonel T. X. Hammes argued in a January 2025 article for the US Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC) that containerized launchers support rapid and inexpensive fleet expansion. They estimated that the conversion of merchant ships into missile platforms with modular payloads could be carried out in less than two years at a cost of $130 million to $140 million each, dramatically faster and cheaper than building destroyers or frigates, which take seven to nine years and billions to build.
Meanwhile, the new containers, which are deliberately designed to look like civilian containers from the outside, were recently presented to Donald Trump during his visit to Fort Bragg. The War Zone, an internet platform specializing in US military affairs, reported on July 8 at 2025 under the headline: “Mysterious guided missile launcher identified, disguised in a shipping container at Fort Bragg.” The subheading reads: “The top general in the Pacific Army recently pointed out that ‘boxes of missiles’ hidden in plain sight will pose a dilemma for the enemy.”
Further on in the article, we learn who the top US general meant by “enemy”: “Containerized missile launchers could be particularly relevant in future expeditionary or distributed operations, especially in the vastness of the Pacific during a future major conflict with China, or to deter such a [conflict].” (Of course, the Americans are always only interested in deterrence, never in attack!)
The official US military designation for the containerized boxes filled with ready-to-fire missiles is “palletized field artillery launchers (PFAL).” However, these containers, which can be hidden not only on ships but also on trucks and freight trains among other containers, raise a whole range of legal and political concerns – particularly with regard to their use on allied ground and civilian cargo ships, argues Gabriel Honrada on July 11 in the Asia Times, which is read throughout Asia. Here is a summary:
According to the Asia Times, containerized missiles pose legal and operational risks. The increasing proliferation of containerized missile launchers that can be deployed in civilian-looking containers—hidden on trucks, freight trains, or civilian merchant ships—poses significant legal, operational, and political challenges. Author Gabriel Honrada emphasizes that these systems, which are hidden in standardized shipping containers, blur the distinction between civilian and military targets, which violates international humanitarian law (IHL).
According to the Asia Times, the development of such containerized missile launchers is aimed at increasing military flexibility, but carries the risk of involving civilian infrastructure in conflicts. Honrada emphasizes that the US and Iran are developing such technologies. These systems make it possible to secretly place missiles in civilian environments, which, according to the newspaper, increases the likelihood of miscalculations and civilian casualties.
Referring to the report by R. Robinson Harris and Colonel T. X. Hammes for the US Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC), which highlights the advantages of containerized missiles for rapid and inexpensive fleet expansion, the Asia Times notes that the use of such systems on civilian ships makes it difficult to distinguish between civilian and military objects, which is problematic under international law. This is because the Hague Convention VII of 1907 requires that converted merchant ships must be clearly marked as warships, which is circumvented by hidden missile launchers.
Furthermore, the Asia Times points out that the use of these systems in neutral or allied ports could cause political tensions. Honrada quotes, among others, the well-known Indian military expert Ajay Kumar Das, who emphasizes that containerized missile launchers are also vulnerable targets due to their lack of radar and active defense systems, which further increases the risks for civilian crews. According to the newspaper, this could lead to diplomatic conflicts, especially if neutral states view the presence of such weapons in their waters as a violation of their sovereignty.
The Asia Times highlights that the proliferation of this technology poses a threat to maritime security. Honrada warns that the normalization of such practices could disrupt global trade logistics, as ports would have to introduce stricter controls.
In conclusion, Honrada calls for international regulations and transparent measures to be developed to minimize the risks posed by containerized missiles. He suggests that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or the United Nations could establish a framework to make the declaration of military cargo mandatory, thereby ensuring the safety of civilian ships.
