Significant developments, achievements noted in the military, defense sectors

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 27): Significant developments, achievements noted in the military, defense sectors

With the year 2013 coming to a close, the military and defense sectors, despite being hampered by a chronic lack of funds, have reported significant accomplishments in their security, community development and disaster relief missions and acquisition of additional equipment that further boosted their capabilities to defend the nation.

The following are some of the events that have tried and tested the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND) during the outgoing year:

The Philippine Army demonstrated its capability of defending the country against aggression when it repelled rouge Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) fighters who attacked and occupied parts of Zamboanga City from Sept. 9 to 21.

Fifteen Army soldiers, including three officers, died while defending and liberating Zamboanga City from this unprovoked assault.

"Though the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the PA in particular, successfully performed its mandate, it had to bear the loss caused by the death of these brave warriors. After almost three weeks of fighting, the rogue MNLF fighters under Nur Misuari surrendered. The calibrated response done by the Army to protect the non-combatants which further led to the rescue of 195 hostages, was considered as one of the most successful rescue missions in (its) history," PA spokesperson Capt. Anthony Bacus said.

Another test in the capability of the military was the disaster response effort for typhoon "Yolanda" which battered a large part of Eastern Visayas, including the regional capital Tacloban City, last Nov. 8.

Bacus said the PA deployed 155 military vehicles and 4,000 soldiers to help in the humanitarian assistance and disaster response efforts in Tacloban and other typhoon-affected areas.

According to Bacus, major units coming from the 10th and 4th Infantry Divisions based in Mindanao had sent battalions of carpenter-soldiers to help rebuild wreck schools, hospitals and other government buildings severely damaged by the super typhoon.

He said that water search and rescue (WASAR)–capable and collapsed structure search and rescue (CSSR)–capable teams from the 525th Engineering Battalion were also deployed to Tacloban City.

Troopers from the 48th Infantry Battalion, 7th Infantry Division; 80th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division and the 1st Special Forces Battalion were also sent as augmentation forces.

The PA spokesperson stated that medical teams from the Army General Hospital had also been deployed, as well as two squads from the Civil Military Operations with their loud speakers and communication electronics and information assets.

Aside from these units, a Philippine Army Relief Center was also established at the PA Wellness Center (Army Gym in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City) with the Civic-Military Operations Group as the unit responsible for the collection and repacking of relief items.

Besides the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, the PA also conducted "Operation Linis/Coastal Clean-Up" and tree planting activities with full multi-sector participation.

On the other hand, the arrival of its Hamilton-class cutter, BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), and three of the five AgustaWestland AW-109 "Power" helicopters, and signing and bidding of major ship contracts, the modernization of the Philippine Navy (PN) is now going on a good clip.

Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said that they are very excited with the way things are going for the PN which for decades has sadly lagged behind its other Southeast Asian counterparts.

With the arrival of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz last Aug. 6 after a two-month voyage from the United States, and commissioning last Nov. 22 and delivery of the three AW-109s last Dec. 8, Fabic said the maritime domain awareness capability of the PN was greatly boosted.

Contracts for the naval helicopters were signed on Dec. 20, 2012.

The arrival of these assets also ensured that BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PF-15), the country's first Hamilton-class cutter, will no longer have to do maritime sovereignty patrols in the West Philippine Sea on her own.

The ability of the PN to protect the country's vast waters will be greatly increased once the combat versions of the AW-109s, the last two of the five ordered for P1.33 billion from AgustaWestland, arrives in the third quarter of 2014.

Last Dec. 12, BRP Ramon Alcaraz, after her three-week relief mission off "Yolanda"-battered Tacloban City, was assigned to the Western Command in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

This military unit is tasked to protect Palawan's vast maritime areas which include parts of the Kalayaan Island Group and the West Philippine Sea.

"2013 was a very good year for the PN. We are hoping that the coming year (2014) will also be a good one for us," Fabic said.

Aside from this, another good thing that happened for the Navy in 2013 was that the contract for the PN's P4-billion "strategic sealift vessel" (SSVs) was finally awarded to PT PAL Indonesia (Persero) early last August.

The latter company won after offering a bid price offer of P3,863,999,520.

The two-ship project is expected to be completed within two years.

"The SSV is an integral part of the PN's Service Force (logistic) and is needed to accomplish the Navy's missions in different areas," Fabic earlier said.

The ships are estimated to weigh around 7,300 gross register tons and capable of transporting at least a battalion of troops (500 men) and their equipment.

The SSVs will also be used to improve the PN's transport and lift capabilities.

These missions are needed especially in times of natural disaster of which the Navy is one of the responders, as proven during the aftermath of typhoon "Yolanda" where the PN deployed around 30 ships to help in the ongoing disaster and relief efforts.

The ships are capable of acting as mini-helicopter carriers as it is capable of carrying two helicopters at its flight deck and another at its enclosed hangar area.

Another welcome development for the Navy this year is the bidding for its two-brand new frigates has finally gotten of the ground.

First stage bidding was conducted last Oct. 25 and as of this posting, around four firms have qualified for the program which is worth P18 billion.

Navantia Sepi (RTR Ventures) of Spain and South Korean firms STX Offshore & Shipbuilding, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. and Hyundai Heavy Industries Inc. hurdled the first stage of the bidding process, which involved the inspection of company documents.

The second stage of the bidding will involve the opening of financial proposals and technical documents. This phase will determine if the bidders’ offers are well within the approved budget of P18-billion and if their goods are in line with the specifications provided in the bid documents.

The DND decided to conduct a two-stage competitive bidding due to the technical and detailed nature of the project.

The winning bidder is required to deliver the ships within four years from the opening of a letter of credit, a document that assures the supplier that the government will honor its financial obligations.

And should it come into fruition, the two ships will be the most heavily-armed vessels in the PN service.

At present, the most potent weapon system in the PN service is the 76mm Oto Melara main gun and Mark 38 Model 225mm "Bushmaster" auto-cannon fitted in the Gregorio Del Pilar class frigates and Emilio Jacinto class patrol vessels.

Earlier, PN Patrol Force head Commodore Jose Renan C. Suarez said that the two frigates will be the most capable yet in Philippine service due to its capability to detect and engage airborne, surface and underwater threats simultaneously.

Suarez said that these ships are part of the PN's "Navy Frigate Program" which has a timeline of 2013 to 2017.

He added that these ships are designed with numerous upgrades cycle to ensure that they will remain relevant and competitive against new vessels coming in line.

Suarez said that these ships will greatly enhance PN's capabilities to defend the country's vast maritime territories.

Aside from this, other items in the process of bidding for the Navy include three more multi-purpose attack crafts, of which six to nine are already in service and the so-called "Marines Forces Imagery and Targeting Support System Acquisition Project" (MITSS) for the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) which is worth P684,230,000.

This aims to improve the surveillance, monitoring and targeting capability of three brigades that make up the PMC.

Funds for the MITSS will be sourced through the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

Interested bidders are required to supply one MITSS to each of the three brigade of the PMC.

Each MITSS consist of two small unmanned aerial vehicles, three target acquisition devices, and four kits of tactical sensor integration support system.

Aside from getting new equipment to bolster up its capabilities, plans are also afoot to upgrade the existing ships of the fleet.

The DND earlier announced that it is allocating P216 million to modernize the BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37), one of the three Jacinto Class Patrol Vessels (JCPV), in its service.

The latter are the Peacock patrol ships acquired from the United Kingdom on Aug. 1, 1997.

Winding this down is the announcement of DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that the decision to acquire South Korea's F/A-50 jet aircraft is still on go.

He made this statement after noting that the DND has submitted its report to the Office of the President which recommended approval of the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) request that the Philippines pay 52 percent of the P18.9-billion price of the 12 F/A-50 aircraft which the country is planning to acquire as it interim fighter planes.

Gazmin also said that should the Office of the President go ahead with their recommendation, along with the so-called progress billing, the planes will be delivered by June 2015.

The DND chief added that both parties have reached a compromise on the delivery of spare parts to 60 days.

DND undersecretary for finance, modernization, installations and munitions Fernando Manalo earlier admitted that some major issues need resolving before the country can push through with its acquisition of the F/A-50 jet aircraft.

He said that the issues are now in the process of negotiations. These include the turnaround time for spare parts which the Philippines wants 30 to 45 days but which the Korea Aerospace Industries is insisting on 180 days, issue on advance payment with the DND insisting only on 15 percent but KAI wants 52 percent.

The DND official stressed that the Philippine decision for a less turnaround time for the spare parts is aimed at keeping the jet aircraft flyable at all times.

Manalo said that the insistence of South Korea of a 52 percent down payment is a major difficulty as the AFP Modernization Act only allows 15 percents payment with the balance being given on the subsequent deliveries.

He added that they will elevate this issue to the Office of the President to determine whether they can give more than the mandated 15 percent to KAI

"We can recommend to the President to grant their request as the money will be used to invest (in the production line) for the aircraft," he added.

The DND earlier had allocated over P18.9 billion to acquire 12 brand-new F/A-50 jet aircraft from KAI.

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