Navy takes delivery of the ‘punch’ it needs

From Malaya Business Insight (May 3): Navy takes delivery of the ‘punch’ it needs

AN Israeli weapons manufacturer has delivered the Philippine Navy’s first missile system, which is now being fitted on three Multi-Purpose Attack Craft.

A senior Navy officer said the Spike-ER short-range surface-to-surface missiles, delivered by Rafael Advance Defense System, makes the Navy more credible in patrolling the country’s vast maritime territory.

“It was delivered about two weeks ago and the installation is ongoing,” said the official, who could not immediately say when the fitting actually started or when it will be completed.

Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong later confirmed the delivery of the missile system to the Navy. He said the missile system was delivered on the “third week of April.”

“The missile systems for the Philippine Navy’s MPACs have arrived in the country and are now undergoing Integration Phase under the guidance of the proponent, Rafael of Israel,” said Andolong.

“The missile-equipped MPACs will greatly enhance the Navy’s capability to secure our littoral areas against terrorism and in support of maritime law enforcement operations,” Andolong added.

Andolong and the Navy official could not immediately say the acquisition cost. The project was pursued by the defense and military established under the ongoing modernization program of the Armed Forces.

“We’ll have a punch already. Whether your target is a small or big ship, we’ll have a punch already...It makes the Navy more credible, it makes the Armed Forces credible. It means that we are more credible now in patrolling our AOR (area of responsibility),” the source said.

The Navy is at the forefront of guarding the country’s territorial waters, including the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea which is being disputed by Philippines, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.

On whether the new capability will serve as a warning to countries that will encroach on Philippine waters, the source said: “It will be a deterrent because this time, we have a credible armament that can strike a punch whether the target is a small or large ship.”

The source said more Navy assets will be equipped with missile system. “This is just the initial three MPACs that will have missile-firing capability but the Philippine Navy will have more ships that will have missile-firing capability in the near future.”

The Navy currently has nine MPACs. The three MPACs that are currently being fitted with the missile system were constructed and delivered in May last year by the Subic-based Propmech Corporation.

“There will be more Navy assets that will have missile-firing capability. These (MPACs) are the first assets that will have missile-firing capability but there will be more Navy ships that will be installed with missile-firing equipment in the near future,” he added.

In its website, Rafael ADS said its Spike-ER is a “is a Multi-purpose Missile system for operation in ranges up to 8 km.” It said Spike-ER weighs 34 kg and can be mounted light and heavier attack helicopters.

“Spike-R Missile includes an advanced tracker and can be fired in F and F (fire and forget mode) providing the rotary wing platform to ‘shoot and scoot’ or engage multiple targets over a very short time,” it said.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/navy-takes-delivery-%E2%80%98punch%E2%80%99-it-needs