On March 29, the United States deployed a Patriot missile system to the Philippines for the first time during the annual Balikatan U.S.-Philippines joint military exercise. This deployment of a Patriot battery by land and sea marked the first amphibious deployment of a Patriot.
On June 24, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of up to 12 AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II antiship missiles and 24 AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II air-to-air missiles to the Philippines. The total cost of the Harpoon and Sidewinder missile sales are estimated to be $120 million and $42.4 million, respectively. Related Links: The Philippines...
On December 17, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed Manila would purchase the BrahMos cruise missile from India in early 2020. Speaking to Philippine press, Lorenzana added that the Philippine armed forces would buy “two batteries” of BrahMos systems with three launchers apiece. BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile with a range of 290 km...
On August 9, the Philippine Navy successfully struck a target at sea using a Spike Extended Range (ER) missile launched from a multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC) gunboat. The test took place off Lamao Point, Bataan, where the missile struck a floating target with high accuracy from 6 km under unfavorable sea conditions. Spike ER is...
On May 2, the Philippine Navy began installing its first-ever missile system aboard its three new multi-purpose attack craft (MPAC). According to Department of National Defense Spokesman Arsenio Andolong, Israeli defense company Rafael delivered the Spike-ER missiles in the third week of April. Once installed on the ships’ Typhoon MLS-ER weapon stations, they will undergo...
