(Feature) PAF surveillance capability to get a 100% boost

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 23): (Feature) PAF surveillance capability to get a 100% boost

The surveillance capability of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be getting a 100 percent boost once it commissions three more radar stations under its new Flight Plan.

This will give the PAF the ability to monitor on a 24-hour basis the country's aerial territory, according to the PAF's "Flight Plan 2028" which was released last Sunday.

The three existing PAF radar stations are located at Lubang, Occidental Mindoro; Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte; and Mount Salakot, Palawan.

Proposed new radar stations, which are expected to be online by 2028, are to be located at Panganiban, Camarines Norte; Balut Island, Guiuan, Samar; and Anini-y, Antique.

At the moment, Gozar Air Station, which is located in Lubang Island, is undergoing upgrades and modernization to extend its operational life.

Upgrades include new radar systems, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin earlier said.

“We give primacy to the enhancement of our capability to monitor and secure our territory. Gozar Air Station will play a major role as we shift our focus from internal security operations to territorial defense,” he added.

By 2028, as stated in "Flight Plans 2028," the PAF will be able to build up its capability to detect, identify, intercept and neutralize incursions from "Area Readiness 3 to Area Readiness 1."

"Area Readiness 3" refers to 51 to 74 percent of Philippine territory while "Area Readiness 1" means 100 percent of the country's territory which is estimated to be 40,000 square nautical miles.

The PAF will do it once its modern radar systems, long-range patrol aircraft (LRPA), airborne early warning and control system (AEWCS), surface-attack aircraft (SAA), light interim fighter trainers (LIFTs), multi-role fighters (MRFs) and missile defense systems (MDS) get online by 2028.

Detection capability will be provided by modern radar systems and the LRPAs, identification of the threat will be done by the AEWCS, while interception capabilities will be given by the SAA, LIFTs, and MRFs. On the other hand, neutralization will be done by the MDS should there be intruding aircraft over land.

PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya said that this is the breakthrough goal of the Air Force.

The decision to make "Flight Plan 2028" public is aimed at informing the people of efforts to modernize the PAF and make it more relevant.

"And by 2022, the PAF will have already build up its capability to detect, identify, intercept and neutralize incursions in the PADIZ and the West Philippine Sea from 'Area Readiness 4' to 'Area Readiness 3'," Flight Plan 2028 stressed.

PADIZ is short for the "Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone and Area Readiness" which was established in 1953. It covers the entire Luzon region, parts of the Visayas, and locations north of Palawan.

"Area Readiness 4" refers to 50 percent of known Philippine territory while "Area Readiness 3" means 51 to 74 percent of Philippine territories (including PADIZ and the West Philippine Sea).

Also by 2022, PAF hopes to have in service 24 SAA and LIFTs, four LRPAs, six ADSRS (air-defense system radar systems) platforms, six ground-based air defense systems, two AEWCS units, 12 MRFs, one C2C center, four electronic countermeasure aircraft, one AA (airborne aircraft) refueler, and four medium-to-heavy lift helicopters.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=775329