Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization News, 2023

Photo here

December 31, 2023: PMC BrahMos Missile start delivery within January 2024
Some Reports from the Foreign Press like this one posted last December 2023 said that the BrahMos Missiles of the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) will have already started delivery within this just concluded Week while others say it will be within this Month of January 2024. Good if that is the Case, then, looking forward to seeing these Missiles 

Here is the Link to the Article at the Defense Review Asia Website: https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/brahmos-philippines-missile-india/

December 22, 2023: Just Pictures of the new FPS-3ME Air Surveillance Radar (ASR) of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) at the Wallace Air Station in La Union during its Acceptance, Turnover and Blessing Ceremony recently. 

The Radar was acquired from Japan and is designed for Early Warning, Land and Maritime Surveillance, Detection Fixed-Wing Aircraft, Helicopters, Ballistic Missiles and Drones

SOURCES: 

December 19, 2023: Philippines reportedly among Countries interested in India’s Akash SAM
Aside from the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Indian Press has been reporting that the Philippines, along with two other Countries (Brazil and Egypt) is interested in acquiring the Akash Surface to Air Missile (SAM) System. 

The Akash made its first official export Sale to the Country of Armenia recently which bought 15 Units for Usd 600 million, or approximately Usd 40 million for each Unit. The latest Version of the Akash called the "Akash NG" has a maximum Range of 70 km

SOURCES: 

December 13, 2023: DBM releases Payments for three AFP Modernization Programs 
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recently released the Payments for three of the Modernization Programs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). The three Programs are the: 
* BrahMos Missile Acquisition of the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC)
* C-130J Super Hercules Transport Aircraft of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) 
* Long Range Patrol Aircraft (LRPA) of the PAF

The most recent released Payment for the BrahMos Missiles is the third one, the first and second ones was released at the same time two Years ago last December of 2021.

Here is the Link to the Article at the Philippine News Agency (PNA) Website: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1215325

November 7, 2023: Japan announces delivery of first Air Surveillance Radar to the Philippines 
The Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) of the Ministry of Defense of Japan announced recently that the first Air Surveillance Radar (ASR) System manufactured by the Mitsubishi Electric Company (MELCO) has been delivered to the Philippines. 

The Radar was part of a Deal worth Usd 103.5 million for three fixed Radar Systems with Building Facilities and one mobile Radar System. Again typical with our other Defense transactions with Japan, not much Details have been revealed about this acquisition, limiting our ability to fully appreciate such Transactions
SOURCES: 

November 5, 2023: Japan donating Coastal Radar Systems to the AFP
Japan is donating Coastal Radar Systems to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) worth Php 235.5 million, or around Usd 4.2 million assuming an Exchange Rate of Php 56.09 per Dollar. The donation will go thru a Grant from their Official Security Assistance (OSA) Program, and the Philippines will be the first Country to receive such Grant from the Program. 

No other Details have been revealed so far though, like how many will be provided, to which Branch of the AFP it will be given to, Details of the Radars itself, etc. That is one Problem I see with Japan, they tend to be scarce in Terms of the Details of the Defense Equipment they are providing to us. 

The Israelis tend to be the same with most of the Items they supply to us, but every now and then they do reveal a lot also, like with the Autonomous Truck MOunted-howitzer Systems (ATMOS) they provided us, so in that regard they are better than Japan


October 17, 2023: DND released NTP for C-130J Super Hercules Transport Aircraft
The Department of National Defense (DND) announced recently that they have already issued the Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the acquisition of three brand new C-130J-30 Super Hercules Transport Aircraft that will be used by the Philippine Air Force (PAF)

The first of these Aircraft will be scheduled to be delivered by July 2026 followed by the second one in October of the same Year. The final Aircraft will then be delivered by January 2027

October 16, 2023: AFP announces Sub acquisition will be at the latter Part of Horizon 3 Modernization
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently announced that the acquisition of at least two Submarines for the Philippine Navy (PN) will be made at the latter part of the AFP's Modernization Program

The Subs will be part of the Horizon 3 of the Program which scheduled from this Year to 2028, and its Budget is estimated to be between Php 80 to 110 billion, or around Usd 1.41 to 1.94 billion assuming an Exchange Rate of Php 56.74 per Dollar and will include Basing, Maintenance and Crew Training

May 25, 2023: Lobbying for the PAF’s MRF Program continues as Swedish Minister visits the DND to push for the Gripen
The lobbying for the Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) Program of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) continues as Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade visited the Department of National Defense (DND) recently to discuss various Defense-related Topics. Sweden has been offering their JAS-39 Gripen Aircraft to the Philippines for a long time now

May 23, 2023: DBM releases 2nd batch of funding for the PN’s OPVs
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recently released the second Batch of funding for the acquisition by the Philippine Navy (PN) of six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) from the South Korean Company Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). This second batch of funding is worth Php 3 billion, the first batch was released in June of last Year of 2022

May 13, 2023: The latest Developments regarding the AW159 Helicopters and Jose Rizal Frigates of the PN
Here is a nice Feature Article about the latest Developments related to the AW159 Wildcat Helicopters and Jose Rizal-class Frigates of the Philippine Navy (PN), ranging from the Deck Landing of the Wildcats to the deployment of Countermeasures onboard the Frigates

February 26, 2023: A new, modern Residential Building now under construction in Fort Bonifacio for the Philippine Navy
A brand new and modern nine-storey Residential Building with 90 Units with a Floor Area of 124 m^2 is now being built at the Bonifacio Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio for the Senior Officers of the Philippine Navy (PN). The Project is being funded by the PN and the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and will be completed by 2025

February 13, 2023: Sen. Imee Marcos is pushing for the revival of the Self Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Program
Senator Imee Marcos is now pushing for the revival of the Self Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Program that was started by her Father, the former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. 

February 12, 2023: The News Publication “BusinessMirror” recently made a Feature Article about the Jose Rizal class Frigates
Here is a Feature Article on the two Jose Rizal class Frigates which are currently the most Modern and most Powerful Vessels of the Philippine Navy (PN). Note that they used the Picture that I uploaded to Wikimedia Commons (WC) of the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) on a Composite Image, but of course the other Picture which is the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) is not mine but was also uploaded to WC

February 9, 2023: 2023 World Air Forces Directory lists the F-16V as already on order by the Philippine Air Force which may or may not be wrong
I just found it a bit unusual that the 2023 World Air Forces Directory made by the Flight International Website already listed a dozen F-16V Viper Aircraft as already “On Order” by the Philippine Air Force (PAF). The Directory is not always right, of course which may be the case in this instance. Or maybe they have some information about the possible Transaction that has not been fully revealed to the Public yet as of now. We will know for sure the truth once the Philippine Government announces a Contract has been signed for which Aircraft

February 4, 2023: The BusinessMirror Publication made a Feature Article on the Black Hawk and Huey Helicopters of the PAF, details in the Comments
A Feature Article on the S-70i Black Hawk and UH-1 Huey Helicopters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF)

January 21, 2023: Just another Feature Article by a Philippine News Organization on the possible acquisition of the JAS-39 Gripen Fighter Aircraft by the Philippine Air Force (PAF) for its Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) Program

January 19, 2023: I received some Messages in my Inbox about this, asking what I thought about it. Well first thing is that what President Bong Bong Marcos (PBBM) said was that he is not keen on INCREASING the Philippines’ Military Spending, he didn’t say he is not going to modernize our Armed Forces. There are already allocations for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), so he will not increase that anymore, but he will not reduce it either, it will be just as it is right now. 

Second, he is just being realistic when he said that we cannot compete with the United States (US) or China in terms of Military Spending. Even mighty Japan can’t match China’s Military right now on its own, as I had posted a Report about several Months ago.  

January 15, 2023: The Philippine Congress has increased the Funds allocated for the Modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the 2023 National Budget to Php 45 billion, or around Usd 842.6 million assuming an Exchange Rage of Usd 1 = Php 54.59. This is Php 6 billion (Usd 109.9 million) higher than the Modernization Budget of Php 39 billion (Usd 714.4 million) in 2022

January 7, 2023: Here’s a Feature about the new Armored Vehicles and Artillery of the Philippine Army (PA)

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