Page 9 - LIMA 2023 - DAY 2 | DAILY NEWS

(OPV) that will be operated by the Japan capability. will soon be integrated with the new 30FFM
Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will frigate for anti-mine warfare. The system,
be launched in the next two to three years, “Last year, the brand new 3900-ton type which is developed jointly with France, can
Daiki informed. The OPV, being built by frigate was launched for the JMSDF with detect all targets, including bottom mines,
primary contractor Japan Marine United the integrated mast Unicorn, which helps buried mines and stealth bottomed mines,”
(JMU), will have advanced stealth tech- the vessel in achieving advanced stealth he said.
nology and ballistic missile management capability. A total of four ships of the
system, he added. Mogami-class are currently integrated with Export Prospects
this system,” he added. The system can
In July 2021 ATLA had announced a project also be integrated to the future OPVs. The export demand for the long-range
for a new fleet of 12 OPVs. Several coun- fixed type air surveillance radar has gone
tries in the region are showing keen interest To establish a multi-layered surveillance up following the first international order
in the shipboard Unicorn, the unified com- posture, to secure underwater and mari- from the Philippines for the FPS-3 ME and
plex radio antenna, Daiki said. Unicorn is time superiority, and to reduce loss of TPS-P14ME medium-range mobile-type air
the Nora-50 integration mast, which has a human resources, the MSDF has introduced surveillance radars. “We want more coun-
bar-shaped dome that houses the antennas various unmanned assets, such as UAVs, tries to buy this system. The Philippines
for tactical data link, tactical air navigation USVs including the use of existing manned have shown interest in acquiring more
system (TACAN), and communications. It vessels, and UUV, as well as newly estab- units,” he said. Mitsubishi Electric
downsizes the antennae on the top of the lishing unmanned asset units. “For the first Corporation will complete the delivery
mast. The shape is designed to reduce the time, our autonomous underwater vehicle of air surveillance radars ordered by the
radar cross section, which gives it stealth of mine countermeasures Beluga OZZ-5 Philippines, later this year. Speaking to Daily
News at the recently concluded DSEI, a
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation official said
the deliveries of the air surveillance radars
to the Philippine Air Force (PAF) would be
completed this Spring. Mitsubishi Electric
Corporation is supplying four air surveil-
lance radar systems to the PAF under the
latter’s Horizon 2 Air Surveillance Radar
System (ASRS) Acquisition Project.

Deliveries of the radars to the Philippines
began in 2022. The planned ASRS sites will
cover large areas of the Philippine Rise,
Southern Areas of the country, and the
Southern portion of the West Philippine Sea
and allow the Philippine Air Force to provide
optimal airspace monitoring, aircraft con-
trol, perform its air defence mission and
enhance the security in ‘Areas of Interest’
identified by the DND. Japan and the
Philippines had announced a Government
to-Government for the radars in a deal worth
USD 103 million in August 2020. The deal
includes supply of three fixed long-range air
surveillance radars, each with building facil-
ities and one mobile air surveillance radar.

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