Designed to offer high-speed interception along coastlines, the boats have been deployed by coast guards across the world.
The 12-man crew of the Israel Shipyards built-Shaldag boat often live aboard their ship for up to four days while on patrol. (Photo credit: SETH J. FRANTZMAN)
The Philippine Navy is pushing ahead to acquire eight Shaldag-class patrol boats to replace its medium-sized patrol craft which have been in use since the mid-1990s.
The boats, built by Israel Shipyards, are designed to offer immediate responses and high-speed interception, and have been deployed by coast guards of countries around the world.
They can support a range of missions including maritime patrol, prevention and interception of terror or drug activities, and search and rescue operations.
Designed to carry between 10-14 crew on board, it can carry optional payloads and be armed with a 23mm-25mm Typhoon automatic gun, two Mini-Typhoon heavy machine guns and eight short-range anti-ship missiles.
According to Philippine News Agency, four of the eight ships will be armed with non-light-of-sight (NLOS) missiles that have a range of 25 km. while the other four will have machine guns and light automatic cannons.
The report quoted former Philippine Navy flag-officer-in-command Vice-Adm. Robert Empedrad as saying that the Shaldag-class patrol boats will be used for maritime interdiction operations.
Former Navy spokesman Capt. Jonathan Zata was also quoted by the report as saying that the ships will have the capability to defend the key sea lines of communication (SLOCs), such as Mindoro, Balabac, Sibutu and Basilan Straits, against “conventional threats.”
Four of the Shaldag-class patrol boats will be built in Israel while the other four will be built at the Philippine Navy Cavite Naval Yard.
The project has been approved by Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte as part of the second phase (Horizon 2) of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, and has a budget of PHP 10 billion ($203 million).
There have been concerns about human rights abuses by Duterte’s government over the years, but Israel and the Philippines maintain close security ties, with Jerusalem having sold a large amount of weaponry to the Philippine army over the years.
Duterte has said in the past that he sees Israel as an alternative supplier of weapons. During a 2018 visit, he told President Reuven Rivlin that he intends to buy military equipment exclusively from Israel because of the country’s lack of restrictions, unlike the United States and other countries which have refused to sell him arms over human rights violations.
Last July, a 10-man strong IDF delegation led by Brig.-Gen. Dan Goldfus, then commander of the IDF’s Nahal Brigade, spent two weeks training 175 officers from the Philippine military’s elite units in counter-terrorism methods.
The troops trained by the IDF included the Special Forces, First Scout Rangers and Light Reaction regiments as well as troops from the 2nd, 5th, 7th and 9th Infantry divisions.
Philippine Army chief Lt.-Gen. Macairog Alberto was quoted by local media as saying at the time that the Counter-Terrorism Trainers' Training was part of the program to hone and improve the anti-terror skills of its troops.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/the-philippines-to-acquire-eight-shaldag-fast-patrol-boats-634783
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