PN Submarine Hunter Arrives in PH Shores

7 May 2019

Two AgustaWestland AW-159 Wildcat helicopters intended for the Philippine Navy's anti-submarine operations was delivered this morning from the United Kingdom. The AW159 Wildcat anti-submarine warfare helicopters will have its station in the new frigates under construction in South Korea.

PN Secures Air Defense Radar For Frigates

15 December 2016

The Government of the Philippines has secured approval for the acquisition of a pair of multi-role AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe 3D Air Search Radars and related support equipment from the United States (US) to be used for its naval frigates.

The radars will be supplied by Swedish firm SAAB Defense and Security in a deal valued at $25 million coming from US Foreign Military Sale (FMS) assistance under its Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Wednesday.

The AN/SPS-77 Air Search Radars will be installed on two Hamilton-class cutters acquired through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program by VSE Corp and Saab.

The state of the art radar system replaces the old SPS-40 radar of the cutters which were previously removed by the US Coast Guard and is expected to provide enhanced ability to detect and track air and sea contacts.

The new radar, which is also being installed into the USS Independence and other ships of the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Independence variant program, as well as ASEAN navies of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, can detect air and surface targets from the horizon up to a height of 20,000 metres (66,000 ft) at elevations up to 70°, and can simultaneously handle multiple threats approaching from different directions and altitudes, including diving anti-ship missiles.

Philippine Navy's ASW

15 January 2016

AgustaWestland became the sole bidder for 2 of the Department of National Defense (DND)’s PHP5.4 billion anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter project offering its AW-159 Wildcat ASW (HMA2 variant) rotorcraft for delivery in 2018.

The Company will be awarded the project in months time after Post-qualification check showed compliance with tender rules, says  DND Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions and Modernization Fernando Manalo.

The AW159 Wildcat, first introduce in November 2009, is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx military helicopter specifically designed for maritime reconnaissance, search and rescue, anti-submarine and anti-surface roles.

The UK's Royal Navy operates 28 frames of the Wildcat with 8 more orders from South Korea's Navy.

The Philippine Navy will be the third operator of the anti submarine helicopter which will be deployed on board the coming new light frigates also bidded out by the Defense Department.

Japan Confirms P-3 Orion To Be Donated To The Philippines

16 November 2015

A Japanese navy official (L) walks with members of the Philippine Navy after disembarking a P3-C Orion surveillance aircraft at an airbase in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, on June 2. The Philippine Navy has been training with US and Japanese counterpart relative to operations of said plane.

By Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo
Reuters

TOKYO — The Japanese and Philippine leaders will agree this week on a deal paving the way for Tokyo to supply Manila with used military equipment, possibly including aircraft that could be deployed to patrol the disputed South China Sea, sources said. (see our breaking story here)

The deal will mark the first time Japan has agreed to directly donate military equipment to another country, and is the latest example of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's more muscular security agenda.

The agreement in principle on military technology will be announced after Abe and President Benigno Aquino III meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila, said three sources in Tokyo who are familiar with the issue.

Abe and Aquino are due to meet on Wednesday (November 18).

It will commit Tokyo and Manila to discuss the type and scale of Japanese military aid, added the sources, who declined to be identified because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

A Tokyo-based spokesman for the Japanese Foreign Ministry, which according to sources has been handling the agreement, said he had no information on the matter.

The Department of Foreign Affairs declined to comment, while Philippine military officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

To allow Japan's first direct donation of military equipment, Japanese lawmakers will either have to tweak financial regulations that require officials to sell second-hand government-owned equipment at fair market value, or establish a financing mechanism outside overseas development aid, which can't be used for military purposes.

Japan's upper chamber of parliament early Saturday gave final approval to a set of controversial bills allowing the country's military to engage in overseas combat assignments — under certain circumstances — for the first time since World War II. The lower chamber approved the bills in July.

In June, Abe and Aquino agreed to begin talks on a visiting forces agreement that would open the way for Japan to use bases in the Philippines to refuel aircraft and resupply naval vessels.(Redacted)

Agusta Westland wins bid for Navy Choppers

October 25, 2012

The Philippine Navy is acquiring 5 AW 109 naval version choppers for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations.

The Department of National Defense (DND) is acquiring five naval helicopters from Agusta Westland to boost the Navy’s maritime security and disaster response capabilities.

The AW109KN version will be stationed on all frigate vessels acquired recently by the Philippine government, BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz. The navy acquired from the United States (US) two Hamilton Class Coast Guard Cutters and converted it to frigate warships to patrol its maritime area. Two more missile-armed Maestrale Class frigates from Italy are expected to join the Philippine Navy starting next year. The other ASW choppers will be assigned to the Italian-Maestrale class frigates when they arrive in 2013.

DND Assistant Secretary Ernesto Boac said the project costs P2.2 billion and would be funded by the Armed Forces modernization program and the Department of Energy.

“The helicopters will improve the capabilities of the Navy. These will be used for maritime security, internal security operations and disaster response,” Boac said.

The fuselages of AW109 are made by PZL-Świdnik, the same company that manufactured the Sokol helicopters of the Philippine Air Force.

The first batch of  AW 109 helicopters is scheduled to arrive on Oct. 17, 2013 and delivery is expected to be completed by Dec. 17, 2013.

C-27J Spartan to join PAF

As Indonesia wins procurement for a spy plane

September 11, 2012

The Department of National Defence has selected Italy to supply three medium-sized military transport aircraft manufactured by Alenia Aeronautica, while Indonesia was awarded  the long-range maritime patrol and surveillance plane, says Peter Paul Galvez, DND spokesman.

"It is just a matter of approval now by the President" says Galvez. Once President Aquino approves the acquisition, the planes would strengthen the country’s air force and heightened navy's maritime domain awareness.

The Alenia C-27J Spartan is a medium-sized military transport STOL aircraft built by Alenia Aeronautica having the same engines and systems of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules.

The C-27J was selected because of its communality with existing C-130 frames of the Philippine Air Force thereby minimizing cost for maintenance procedures, and at the same time training personnel for future C-130J acquisitions.

Meanwhile, CASA/IPTN CN-235 MPA is a medium-range twin-engined transport plane that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and Indonesian manufacturer IPTN, part of Airbus Military, as a regional airliner and military transport. Its primary military roles include maritime patrol, surveillance, and air transport.

CN-235 MPA was chosen because of its ability to stay in the air longer which is good for maritime surveillance and its capability to double as a military transport. Its rear ramp access made the choice easier compared to the ATR-42MP says the DND spokesman.

The CN-235 MPA can be fitted with the Seaspray 4000 radar from BAE Systems, the AN/APS-134 from Raytheon or the Ocean Master 100 from Thales. DND did not disclose what radar they will fit in the plane.

“The long-range patrol aircraft would be devoted solely to conducting maritime surveillance.” says Galvez.

The surveillance plane has a crew of two, a pilot and co-pilot, and can carry 44 passengers and a payload of 13,120 pounds with a cruising speed of 454 kilometers per hour and a range of 2,730 nautical miles.

Rescuers Rescued

Navy chopper in search ops force-lands

By Florante S. Solmerin 





August 23, 2012

Engine trouble on Tuesday struck a Navy helicopter helping in the search for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, forcing its two pilots to execute an emergency landing at the shoreline in Buenavista village in Donsol, Sorsogon, Navy spokesman Col. Omar Tonsay said.

Diving helicopter. Fishermen help Navy servicemen salvage a Bulco attack helicopter that crashed into the waters near the shoreline in Sta. Cruz, Donsol, Sorsogon, while searching for the wreckage of the plane carrying Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo. DANNY PATA

“It was a precautionary landing. The helicopter had some engine trouble,” Tonsay said.

The chopper was part of the aircraft deployed in the search for Robredo and Jessup Bahinting and Napalese Kshitz Chand, the pilots of the ill-fated  Seneca Piper plane that crashed on Saturday off Masbate.

“The two pilots and their passengers were unhurt,” Tonsay said.

“The chopper landed safely and remains intact. It was already inspected to determine the cause of the precautionary landing.”