Page 8 - ADT APRIL 2022 Online Magazine

Upgraded Air Defence [ REPORT ]
The Philippines administration has also report-
edly allocated a budget of US$71.5 million for
the purchase of a ground-based air defence
system. The PAF is slated to take deliveries of
three batteries of Spyder ground-to-air defence
system from Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense
System.

Israel has previously supplied Spike-ER mis-
siles for the Navy’s multi-purpose attack craft
and unmanned aerial systems for the Air Force,
including the two types of Hermes drones.

In November 2020, the government had set
aside a budget of US$50 million for the pur-
chase of the Spyder system by the Air Force.

Recently, the U.S. showcased the capabilities of
its surface-to-air missile defence system during
an amphibious drill involving U.S. and Philippine
troops. The March 29 drill marked the first-ever
amphibious insertion of a Patriot missile system on low-altitude air defence while the Patriot troops practiced
in the Philippines. The Patriot missile system defending against high-altitude threats.
supported Marines and Philippine troops prac-
ticing coastal defence. Marines, equipped with Navy Purchase Plans
portable Stinger air-defence missiles, focused The Navy is also speeding up its acquisition plans. Last December,
the Philippines signed a deal valued at US$554 million to buy two
small warships from South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Heavy
Industries (HHI). The deal adds to the Philippine Navy’s recent
acquisition of two frigates, also built by HHI, as well as a refurbished
Pohang class corvette from the South Korean Navy, as the fleet’s
only ships with those capabilities.

The two corvettes are expected to be delivered by 2026.“We have
already come a long way in our modernisation, and with this addi-
tional acquisition, we are steps closer to a more capable fleet,”
Lorenzana said. Purchasing the corvettes from HHI, the same
company that built the Philippine Navy frigates the BRP Jose Rizal
and the BRP Antonio Luna, will make it easier to fix and maintain
them, he added.

“THESE NEW ACQUISITIONS ARE A KEY
CAPITAL ASSET FOR THE PHILIPPINE NAVY AND
A TESTAMENT TO ROBUST PH-ROK DEFENCE

8 | April 2022 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ ADT