PH procures $370-M anti-ship missile project from India

From Rappler (Jan 14, 2022): PH procures $370-M anti-ship missile project from India (By JAIRO BOLLEDO)

The Philippine Marines' Coastal Defense Regiment will be the end user of the project, Defense Secretary Lorenzana says

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday, January 14, announced that the Philippines has bought a $370-million shore-based anti-ship missile project from India.

In a Facebook post, the defense chief said he signed the Notice of the Award as the Department of National Defense’s head of procuring entity. Based on the document, the project costs $374,962,800 and will be used by the Philippine Navy.

The project was bagged by India’s BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd., according to Lorenzana. The deal also includes three batteries, training for operators and maintainers, and the necessary Integrated Logistics Support package.

The Philippine Marines’ Coastal Defense Regiment will also be the end user of the said project.

According to Lorenzana, the anti-ship missile project was approved in 2020.

“Conceptualized as early as 2017, the Office of the President approved its inclusion in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020,” the defense chief said.

In 2021, then-Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said the BrahMos missile was the ideal weapon for the Philippine Navy’s shore-based anti-ship missile project.

According to a report by the Philippine News Agency, “the BrahMos cruise missile can be launched from a ship, aircraft, submarine, or land and has a top of Mach 3 and capable of carrying warheads weighing 200 to 300 kilograms.”

The missile also has a flight range of up to 290 kilometers with supersonic speed, according to BrahMos.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippines-procures-370-million-dollars-anti-ship-missile-project-india/