(News Feature) PN soon-to-have weapons platform capable of neutralizing surface ships, submarines

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 31): (News Feature) PN soon-to-have weapons platform capable of neutralizing surface ships, submarines

For the first time in decades, the Philippine Navy (PN), with the arrival of its two AgustaWestland AW-159 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters, will be in possession of platform capable of detecting, locating and if needed, prosecuting hostile underwater contacts.

Prosecuting in military parlance means the destruction or neutralization of targets deemed hostile by the military.

The AW-159 ASW helicopters, also known as the "Wildcat" is expected to join the fleet by next year, PN spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said.

He said these aircraft will be deployed aboard the two missile-armed frigates, those contract was bagged by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries last year.

"Once the AW-159 arrives, the PN will now have the capability to detect, locate and if necessary prosecute hostile surface and sub-surface targets," Lincuna stressed.

The AW-159 (previously called the Future Lynx and Lynx Wildcat) is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx military helicopter.

It is ordered for the British Army and the United Kingdom's Royal Navy.

It has a crew of two, has a maximum speed of 291 km/h (181 mph), range of 777 km (483 miles), ferry range of 963 km (598 miles) and an endurance of one and a-half hours (fours hours and 30 minutes if fitted with auxiliary fuel)

The AW-159 is fitted with a variety of weapons capable of dealing with surface ships and submarines.

One of the armaments, the PN "Wildcat" will be armed with is the Spike NLOS missiles giving it a capability to engage hostile vessels beyond visual range.

The said weapon is manufactured by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. NLOS is short for "non-line of sight". It was originally designed to destroy tanks.

"The missile has a built-in camera that allows it to be operated day or night," the PN spokesperson.

"The Spike NLOS weapon system can be operated in either direct attack or mid-course navigation based on target coordinates only. These modes enable defeat of long-range hidden targets, with pinpoint precision, damage assessment and the obtaining of real-time intelligence," weapon manufacturer Rafael said in its website.

The Department of National Defense signed a contract with AugustaWestland, now Leonardo, to buy two AW-159 ASW helicopters for PHP5.362 billion, last year.

Lincuna said the PN will be using Spike NLOS as a anti-ship weapon due to its claimed range of 25 kilometers.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=10&sid=&nid=10&rid=976674