Page 15 - ADAS 2024 - DAY 1

BrahMos Modernises

Philippine Shore Defence

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in flight range (> 2.5 – 3 times), in seeker I (2012-2017), Horizon II (2018-2022), and
is the first export customer and the only user range (> 3 – 4 times) and in kill energy by Horizon III (2023-2027).
of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic nine times. A BrahMos missile depending
cruise missile system in the region. The on its configuration, can carry a conven- Export customers will also benefit from
first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise tional warhead weighing between 200 – India’s large orders for BrahMos which
missiles and their launchers were deliv- 300 kg. The multi-role BrahMos has been will ensure economies of scale. BAPL offi-
ered to the Philippines in April this year operationalized in land-to-land, land-to-sea, cials say they are confident of not only of
onboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 sea-to-coast, coast-to-sea, air-to-land and meeting the armed forces requirements
heavylift transporter. It is understood that air-to-sea configurations. from these nations but also those of other
the Philippines will differ from India in hav- countries in the region. In March 2023,
ing two missiles per launcher as compared It was in January 2022, that the Philippines India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) inked
to three for the former. The induction of the announced a deal with BrahMos Aerospace a contract with BAPL for procurement of
BrahMos will enormously increase the AFP’s Private Limited (BAPL) valued at approxi- Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal
maritime strike capability in littoral and high mately US$ 375 million for three missile bat- Batteries (Long range) {NGMMCB (LR)} and
sea environments. Along with its associ- teries to be operated by the Coastal Defence BrahMos Missiles at an approximate cost
ated systems, the BrahMos cruise missile Regiment of the Philippine Marines along of over US$200 million. The naval variant
complex can ensure real-time monitoring, with training for operators and maintainers of the BrahMos is the Indian Navy’s primary
detection and tracking of potential targets as well as an Integrated Logistics Support weapon for maritime strike operations and
in Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), and (ILS) package. The Philippines formally is fitted onboard various frontline warships.
their swift engagement from beyond radar conceptualised its requirement for the ad- The system is capable of hitting land or sea
horizon ranges. The operationalisation of vanced weapon system in 2017 and it was targets from extended ranges with pinpoint
the BrahMos supersonic missile system approved by the Office of the Philippine accuracy at supersonic speeds. Today, BAPL
claims indigenization levels of 75 percent
into the AFP will also be keenly watched by President for inclusion in the Horizon 2 for the BrahMos missile system which has
Indonesia and Vietnam, which are seriously Priority Projects in 2020. Philippine industry an Indian built propulsion system, airframe,
considering inducting the weapon system. could also soon receive industrial partici- power supply and other major indigenous
pation in the programme as well. The AFP components. In comparison, the indigeni-
The BrahMos missile is considered superior is in the middle of a 15-year modernisation zation level was only 13 percent when the
to the most popular subsonic missiles in programme that commenced in 2012 and is joint-development programme with Russia
the world, in terms of velocity (> 3 times), being completed in three phases: Horizon first commenced.

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