Philippines Defence Forum

[CountStrike]

Korean manufacturer to provide PH Marines 8 new Amphibious Assault Vehicles
April 10, 2016 Gracel Ortega


Hanwha Techwin, previously Samsung Techwin, was declared as the winning bidder for the Department of National Defense’s Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) acquisition project, according to MaxDefense. MaxDefense said that the Notice of Award was already provided.

The contract price for the acquisition of eight brand-new AAVs is PhP2.423 billion. These amphibious vehicles will render service to Philippine Marine Corps of Philippine Navy when delivered. Approved budget for the said acquisition was PhP2.5 billion.

South Korean Hanwha Techwin and American BAE Systems are producing AAV7A1 vehicles. Amphibious vehicles produced by the South Korean manufacturer are designated as KAAV7A1 (KAAV).

This project was among the seven multi-year contract projects that President Aquino approved. The approval also included two frigates, two anti-submarine helicopters for Philippine Navy; two long-range patrol aircraft, six close-air support aircraft, munitions for FA-50 and three air surveillance radars for the Philippine Air Force.

Meanwhile, units of Philippine Marines have conducted AAV familiarization training event with their American counterparts April 4, during the conduct of Balikatan 2016.

April 4, 2016. US Marines photo.
Filipino Marines ride at the back of a US Marine Corps Amphibious Assault Vehicle with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force at Crow Valley last week.

 

[bidonv]

By:www.thanhniennews.com
U.S. to give Philippines eye in sky to track South China Sea activity

The United States will transfer an observation blimp to the Philippines to help it track maritime activity and guard its borders amid rising tensions in the South China Sea, a U.S. diplomat said on Monday.
Philip Goldberg, U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said Washington would give Manila, its oldest Asia-Pacific security ally, $42 million worth of sensors, radar and communications equipment.
"We will add to its capability to put sensors on ships and put an aerostat blimp in the air to see into the maritime space," Goldberg said in an interview with CNN Philippines,
The blimp is a balloon-borne radar to collect information and detect movements in the South China Sea, a Philippine military official said.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, believed to have huge deposits of oil and gas. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims to parts of the waters, through which about $5 trillion in trade is shipped every year.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited the Philippines last week to reaffirm Washington's "ironclad" commitment to defend Manila under a 1951 security treaty.
China has been expanding its presence on its seven artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago and on Monday landed a military plane for the first time on one of them, Fiery Cross Reef.
It comes ahead of a planned U.S. freedom of navigation patrol this month near the Spratlys.
Carter's visit also signals the start of U.S. military deployment in the Philippines, with 75 soldiers to be rotated in and out of an air base north of Manila.
Goldberg said the two allies had agreed to set up a system for "secure and classified communications" as part of a five-year, $425 million security initiative by Washington in Southeast Asia.
Manila will receive some $120 million in U.S. military aid this year, the largest sum since 2000 when the American military returned to the Philippines for training and exercises after an eight-year hiatus.
They signed a new deal in 2013 allowing increased U.S. military presence on a rotational basis and storage of supplies and equipment for maritime security and humanitarian missions.............See more

 

[21 Dec 2012]

12 advanced trainers for fighter jets in a country with $250bn GDP. Does Philippines even want to defend itself.

 

[Zero_wing]

12 advanced trainers for fighter jets in a country with $250bn GDP. Does Philippines even want to defend itself.

Thats the budget thank the Philippine congress but this is just phase 1 we still have 2 and 3 and we are starting phase 2

 

[21 Dec 2012]

Thats the budget thank the Philippine congress but this is just phase 1 we still have 2 and 3 and we are starting phase 2

And whats the budget for phase 2?

 

[bidonv]

By:www.benarnews.org
Armed Forces of the Philippines Faces Significant Encounter with Islamic State Fighters

he most significant battle by a group associated with the Islamic State (IS) in Southeast Asia occurred on the island of Basilan, Philippines, on April 9, 2016, although the government did not acknowledge it as a fight between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and an IS group led by Isnilon Hapilon.

The battle left 18 troops dead and 53 injured, a significant loss for the government.

Hapilon is former deputy leader of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the IS designated leader in the southern Philippines. His former members of ASG based in Basilan pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in 2015 and joined forces with other groups associated with IS.

The 125 men led by Hapilon demonstrated they can hold ground and fight AFP. Exploiting the recent successes, IS is likely to declare a wilayat in the Sulu Archipelago.

If the Philippines is determined to prevent IS rise in Mindanao and with it implications for Southeast Asia, it should take the threat seriously. Rather than denying IS existence, the government should make fighting IS a national security priority and step up cooperation with counterparts in Southeast Asia to contain and isolate the threat.

IS increases capabilities in the Philippines

The IS has been steadfastly influencing and building capabilities in northern, southern and western Mindanao in the Philippines.

In northern Mindanao, Tawhid Wal Jihad has renamed itself as Islamic State of Lanao in Butig. Although IS central in Syria and Iraq has not acknowledged the Butig-based group as an official branch, it presents a major threat as members have fought AFP and hold several civilian hostages.

In southern Mindanao, Ansar Khilafa Mindanao has fought with AFP and conducted IS-style beheadings. The group was involved in arms transfers to IS Indonesia and hosted Indonesian bomb making instructor Ibrahim Ali Sucipto who was killed on Nov. 26, 2015.

The most significant of the IS entities is Hapilon’s Basilan-based unit of former ASG members. The unit, considered the IS-designated official entity in the Philippines, came to the forefront when Hapilon unified with a handful of fighters from Malaysia.

$5 million offered for killing or capture of Hapilon

The April 9 AFP operation aimed at capturing Al Barka, the IS base, releasing foreign hostages and killing or capturing Hapilon who is subject of a $5 million U.S reward.

AFP was supported by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which has maintained a ceasefire with the government since March 2014. The MILF relationship with ASG deteriorated after the MILF joined the peace process and ASG Basilan joined IS.

The MILF informed AFP that the IS base was five kilometers from the MILF community in Sitio Bohe in the the village of Macalang. AFP had requested MILF leave the area and as their fighters and families moved out, IS, forewarned and exceptionally well prepared, confronted the AFP. During the 10-hour firefight in the village of Tipo-Tipo, the AFP did not anticipate IS’s preparation.

Julie S. Alipala, writing “Hell in Basilan: Landmine Blast Followed by Gunfire Everywhere,” April 10, 2016 in Inquirer Mindanao, highlighted the army’s failure to prepare adequately to fight IS. Among the injured were the 44th Battalion Commander Col. Tommy Crosby and other officers.

The AFP recovered the body of Moroccan fighter Mohammad Khattab, an explosives expert.

IS issues propaganda after battle

In a release titled: “100 Killed from the Philippine Crusader Army in Operations by Soldiers of the Caliphate in Philippines,” dated 5 Rajab 1437 (April 13, 2016), “The Islamic State, Philippines” stated: “Soldiers of the Caliphate were able, by the grace of Allah the Almighty, to repel attempts by the Philippine Crusader army to seize control over positions of the mujahideen in Philippines.

“By the grace of Allah, seven troop carriers were blown up and those inside were killed, and there were also clashes with the enemy, killing another number of its soldiers, and the rest fled, defeated and disgraced, by the grace of Allah. The result of the operation reached nearly 100 killed and dozens wounded from the Crusaders, and three brothers from the mujahideen were martyrs, we consider them thusly and Allah knows them best.”

IS has territorial control in Philippines

The IS has established territorial control and established training bases in the Philippines. The fight against IS requires a higher level of commitment and leadership. Rather than deploy general purpose forces, it is imperative for the special operations forces to spearhead the fight.

With their best intelligence assets, the Special Operations Commander of AFP should move to Basilan and remain in the Sulu Archipelago until all the groups that pledged allegiance to IS are dismantled and their leaders are captured or killed. There is no better moment to mobilize and mount an uncompromising intelligence led military operation at this point when the nation will rally around AFP for their monumental sacrifice.

Otherwise, IS influence will slowly and steadily spread and its capabilities will grow, a phenomenon witnessed since last year. With a new government in Manila coming soon, the new president will have to confront the rise of IS.

Manila should continue to work with MILF in a range of prevention and preemption operations to keep IS from spreading and growing. The governments in the region should support Manila and keep IS out of their countries and the region. The fight should be decisive and this should become the government’s priority vision and mission.........See more

 

[Zero_wing]

And whats the budget for phase 2?

don't know the next congress will make that assuming the leftist groups will not stop any moves by the next administration and assuming Duterte is not President and assuming they not change the plan for the next phases i assume from the current plan other 2 or 5 billion US because we are starting to build bases for the MRF (Multirole Fighter Aircraft) and buying our first Anti Sub Corvettes and Anti ship and Anti tank and anti air missiles and upgrades on current systems and new weapons for our troops, tanks and ships and planes etc and anything else we miss in Phase 1 and doing it for the next 10 years and then Phase 3. Again due to the elections anything can happen.

 

[pr1v4t33r]

BRP Tarlac 601, will be ready to be sent to the Philippine in a few days

 

[anas_nurhafidz]

BRP Tarlac 601, will be ready to be sent to the Philippine in a few days
View attachment 301775
View attachment 301776

LCU Also Ready for Tarlac

 

[pr1v4t33r]

 

[Zero_wing]

Nice guys thanks

 

[pr1v4t33r]

 

[pr1v4t33r]

SAF static display features the BRP Tarlac, the lead ship of the Tarlac (Makassar) class LPDs

 

[Zero_wing]

what's that other ship on side is it a tender ship?

 

[pr1v4t33r]

what's that other ship on side is it a tender ship?