Inert rocket rounds will be fired from the United States’ HIMARS [M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System] mobile artillery platform for the live-fire phase of this year’s Balikatan exercises.
This was disclosed by Major General Rodolfo Santiago, Balikatan assistant exercise director for Philippines at the sidelines of Monday’s opening ceremony of the annual joint military maneuvers.
“Balikatan is an opportunity to test, to experiment on systems that may be utilized to develop our capabilities. I am not saying that there are plans to acquire it but this looks good [for the Armed Forces of the Philippines] as [HIMARS] is relatively cheap,” Santiago pointed out.
HIMARS is a light multiple rocket launcher mounted on a standard US Army Medium Tactical Vehicle truck frame.
He also stressed that participation of HIMARS in Balikatan is not addressing any specific threat and merely being utilized to give Filipino forces a first-hand look on a modern artillery rocket system and its capabilities.
“[American units] will not be firing live rockets [during the April 14 live-fire exercise in Crow Valley, Tarlac] as it is expensive and we do not need to see the actual effects [of the rocket when it hits its target]. Inert rockets will be used to demonstrate on HIMARS when fired in the field,” Santiago said in Filipino.
Rockets are said to be inert when stripped of all explosives and other active materials.
“Balikatan 2016” formally opened this today and will end on the 15th.
An estimated 3, 773 Filipino soldiers and 4, 904 US troops will take part in the two-week military maneuvers.
http://www.update.ph/2016/04/high-mobility-rocket-system-looks-good-for-ph-general/3824
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