ABOARD BRP DAVAO DEL SUR: The Philippine Navy on Wednesday tested newly acquired missile systems from Israel, which Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana described as “impressive.”
Navy personnel went on board the multipurpose attack crafts (MPACs) carrying the Israeli Spike-Extended Range (ER) missiles and weapons systems.
Lorenzana was joined by Navy officials including Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, the flag officer in command, on BRP Davao del Sur, which was used to observe the Mark III-class MPACs made in Subic free port.
During the tests at Lamao Point in Bataan, the MPACs had three surface targets. Among the targets was the decommissioned patrol boat BRP Dionisio Ojeda.
In the first exercise, the MPACs used remote-controlled .50 caliber machine gun fire and two missile rounds to sink their target.
The Navy’s AW-109 helicopter, armed with 2.75-inch high-explosive rockets, provided air assistance to the MPACs in the drills.
Lorenzana also boarded the chopper, which came from the Europe-based AgustaWestland.
“Very impressive, for a ship to hit the target even while moving,” he told reporters after the testing.
A single Spike-ER missile costs about P10 million, said Empedrad and Lorenzana.
“But in the long run, if we will buy cheaper missiles and can’t even hit a single target, that would be a complete waste of money,” Lorenzana stressed.
The demonstration, he said, should also send the message that the Navy is strengthening its capabilities to be able to defend the country’s territory.
The use of the MPACs adheres to the “swarm doctrine” of the Navy, wherein the attack crafts will be used to engage larger and more capable vessels that could pose threats to the country’s coasts, officials said.
On August 9, the Navy held the first test-firing at the same spot.
The MPACs were built by the Subic-based Propmech Corp. and were activated in May last year.
Rafael Defense of Israel, through the Israel Ministry of Defense, bagged the contract for the supply and integration of weapons systems to the three ships.
42 more ships
Empedrad disclosed that the Philippine Navy would acquire 42 more MPACs to be armed with missile and weapons systems from Israel.
“Based on our matrix, we will be having 42 of these types of vessels, MPACs. We only have nine at the moment and three more will be coming over next year with the same missile capability,” he said.
“If all of them will be moving at the same time, when we are under siege, I think this will do harm [to the enemy], whether internal or external,” Empedrad added.
Lorenzana said the Navy would also acquire big-ticket items including frigates and corvettes, also to be armed with missiles.