The Philippine government is to triple the size of a special forces military unit that operates against Islamist militants responsible for deadly bombings and kidnappings of Westerners, officials said Tuesday, January 7, 2014.
The Light Reaction Battalion is to be built up to regiment size, Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Noel Coballes said, an increase from about 500 soldiers to as many as 1,500.
“We have seen how effective they are, so we are strengthening the unit in terms of anti-terrorism. From a battalion we’ll increase it to a regiment,” he said.
The unit is fighting the Abu Sayyaf, a group of several hundred Islamist militants who are behind the country’s deadliest attacks as well as kidnappings of Western targets.
Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the battalion had taken substantial casualties during a three-week battle against gunmen in the southern port of Zamboanga in September last year.
“As you have seen, we lost a number of our men in the Zamboanga incident, which led to a shortage that needed to be addressed,” Gazmin said.
Neither official gave a timetable, but armed forces spokesman Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the unit would be bulked up within the year.
“Based on what happened in Zamboanga, our military leadership saw a need to increase the strength of the Light Reaction Battalion to be able to address contingencies anywhere in the country,” Zagala told AFP.
The United States has trained and equipped the battalion since 2002, to help its Asian ally fight the Islamist militants in the south of the mainly Catholic nation.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) successfully conducted a flight of its MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft on 15 July…
The HENSOLDT Group has announced a restructuring initiative to accelerate growth and maximise the benefits of its recent acquisition of…
Pratt & Whitney and SR Technics have announced the induction of the first GTF engine at the MRO service provider's…
The Airbus A321XLR powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines has received its Type Certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency…
The Czech Republic is buying 200 Lockheed Martin-made Hellfire air-to-ground missiles AGM-114R and related equipment from the United States at…
MBDA is unveiling advanced effectors for MBDA’s flagship Sky Warden counter-drone solution, as well as a new VSHORAD missile, at…
Embraer delivered 47 jets in 2Q24, an 88% increase compared to the previous quarter (qoq), when 25 jets were delivered.…
Buoyed by its success in the field, Havelsan will promote its pilot training equipment solutions at the show. The Turkish…
Turkey's leading defence company Aselsan, which is making its first appearance at Farnborough, is showcasing air radar, communication, electro-optical and…
Indra has integrated the Spanish startup IDBOTIC into the Next Generation Weapon System/Future Combat Air System (NGWS/FCAS) programme, the most…
The Oostende, the premier mine countermeasures vessel in the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme designated for the Belgian Navy, embarked on its…
Scoot, the budget airline subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA), has revealed the launch of a new flight route to Subang,…
Marking the return of international airshows to Indonesia after nearly thirty years, the organiser of the Bali International Airshow 2024…
South Korean Aerospace firm Hanwha Aerospace will showcase the prototype of a homegrown 15,000lb.-thrust-class turbofan engine on par with GE’s…
The Singapore Army is set to complete the transition from the Ultimax 100 SAW (Section Automatic Weapon) to the Colt…
Lockheed Martin has delivered the first of eight C-130J-30 Super Hercules tactical airlifters to the Ohio Youngstown Air Reserve Station,…
Challenge Group has announced the appointment of Eyjolfur (Eyvi) Vestmann Ingolfsson as its new Head of Materials and Logistics, aimed…
SATS Airport Services Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SATS Ltd (SATS), SIA Engineering Company Limited (SIAEC), and Changi Airport…
INJAZ Al-Arab, a Jordan-based non-profit education and training organisation and a member of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide, has partnered with…
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) officially accepted the delivery of its initial pair of AT-6TH Wolverine turboprop aircraft in…
TransNusa is set to become the first foreign airline to operate from Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport, commonly known as Subang…
SATS Ltd, a Singapore-based provider of air cargo handling services and food solutions, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding…
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has chosen the Swedish-manufactured SAAB JAS 39E/F Gripen over the American Lockheed Martin F-16…
Batik Air Malaysia has unveiled two new routes from Kuala Lumpur to Thailand, with Hat Yai and Krabi being the…
Boeing and Emirates SkyCargo have announced an order for five additional 777 freighters. The purchase takes Emirates' order book to 245…
Boeing aircraft will be conspicuous by their near-total absence from the show, but the American OEM is expected to walk…
Eve Air Mobility will provide an update on key program milestones, including its first full-scale prototype, at the Farnborough Air…
Boeing, which is not bringing any of its commercial jets to this year's Farnborough Airshow, will instead focus on highlighting…
Gulfstream Aerospace has appointed Smitha Hariharan as vice president and chief sustainability officer, effective immediately. In the newly created role,…
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has been upgraded to an 'A' credit rating by S&P Global Ratings, with a stable outlook.…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2024 GBP all rights reserved.