No more second frigates for Philippine Navy - DND official

MANILA, Feb. 22 (PNA) -- A ranking Department of National Defense (DND) official has said the option to acquire second-hand frigates to boost the numbers and capabilities of the Philippine Navy (PN) has been waived.

Fernando Manalo, DND undersecretary for finance, munitions,installation and materiel, said this because evaluation studies found out that acquiring these vessels will be more costly in the long run.

"The PN found out that it will be more expensive to maintain second hand vessel(s) than buying a new one," he added.

With this conclusion, the Italian-made "Maestrale" frigates, are no longer in the running for possible acquisition by the Philippines.

"Its no longer being evaluated," Manalo stressed.

The "Maestrale" was earlier touted by the DND as the next ships to be acquired for the PN due to its credible missile and anti-submarine capabilities.

With this development, Manalo said the Philippines is now looking for new build naval ships with the same configuration.

The DND earlier said that five countries have expressed their intention to sell the Philippines modern frigates and offshore patrol vessels which will help the country protect its vast maritime territories.

These offers came from the United States, Israel, Croatia, South Korea and Australia.
All vessels being offered by these nations are brand new.

Manalo added that offers of the above-mentioned countries started coming during the last quarter of 2012.

The DND official attributed the sudden influx of would-be-suppliers to the fact the Philippine is now seriously upgrading its military forces.

The Philippines is in the market for two modern and powerful frigates in order to enhance its maritime domain awareness and protection capabilities.

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Priam F. Nepomuceno | Philippine News Agency | February 22, 2013 | Article Link

DND firms up plans to buy 2 Italian warships worth P6B each

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of National Defense (DND) on Wednesday said plans had been firmed up to buy two Italian warships worth US$ 30 million (P6 billion) each to upgrade the Philippines' defense capabilities. 

At the hearing of the House of Representatives' appropriations committee of the DND's proposed P121.6-billion budget for next year, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the purchase of Italian warships or frigates is part of the DND's modernization plan. 

The proposed budget is P15 billion higher than this year's capital outlay. 

Gazmin said the budget increase would be used for big investments aimed at beefing up territorial defense. 

Meanwhile, to ensure the safety of the President and his Cabinet, the House minority bloc said it was in favor of purchasing new planes dedicated for their use. 

House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, in a press conference, said the government needed at least six new aircraft -- one regional jet, one jet for local travel, two propeller-driven aircraft (1 Queen Air and 1 King Air) and two helicopters. 

Suarez said the new planes would cost about US$ 85 million (roughly P3.6 billion). 

"We should not put a tag price on the security of our leaders. We are expressing our concern for the safety of the President and his family because, as we are all aware, our country does not have a dedicated Presidential plane and he takes chartered flights for official travel," he said. 

Besides, Suarez said the new aircraft would also benefit political leaders after the term of President Benigno S. Aquino III. 

The House minority leader also asked the government to review all modes of public transportation following the death of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, whose plane crashed off Masbate last Saturday afternoon on the way to Naga City from Cebu City.

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Philippine News Agency/InterAksyon.Com | August 22, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines in the market for ASW helicopters

MANILA, Aug. 17 (PNA) -- As part of its efforts to improve the capabilities of the naval service, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced that it will be acquiring four anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters for the Philippine Navy (PN) within the period 2013 to 2017. 

Col. Arnulfo M. Burgos, Jr., AFP spokesperson, said the decision to acquire ASW assets for the PN is part of country's Medium Term Defense Acquisition List for the next four years. 

The ASW choppers will be assigned to the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and the soon-to-come BRP Ramon Alcaraz and hopefully to the two "Maestrale" class missile-firing frigates from Italy being eyed by the Department of National Defense (DND) for acquisition by 2013. 

Burgos declined to identify the manufacturer of the proposed ASW helicopters but said studies are now undergoing to identify the best and most affordable aircraft for the Philippines. 

DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin earlier announced that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) will be getting 10 brand-new units of Eurocopter attack choppers to boost its fleet. 

He added that this contract is worth P3.2 billion. 

Gazmin said that the DND has already presented it to the government policy and procurement board for evaluation. 

This was after the defense department recommended acquisition approval for the above-mentioned helicopters. 

And should the contract be signed anytime this August, the DND chief said that the first four units will be delivered within the year. 

"All these choppers are brandnew and fitted with weapons, navigation and sensor equipment," Gazmin stressed. 

The body of the Eurocopter is made from 80 percent carbon fiber reinforced polymer and kevlar, 11 percent aluminum, and six percent titanium. 

The rotors are made from fiber-plastic able to withstand combat damage and bird strikes. 

Protection against lightning and electromagnetic pulse is ensured by embedded copper/bronze grid and copper bonding foil. 

Eurocopter's armor can withstand 23 mm autocannon fire. 

The helicopter can be equipped with a variety of air-to-ground weapons, rockets, and even air-to-air missiles and state-of-the-art sensor and navigation systems. 

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Philippine News Agency | August 17, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines mulling purchase of Italian frigates

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines is eyeing the purchase of two "potent" Maestrale-class frigates from Italy to boost the country's capability to defend its territorial waters, particularly the West Philippine Sea.

 

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin told reporters Thursday that the refurbished frigates could arrive in the country late next year.

Officials are just waiting for the enactment of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization law, which Gazmin said they expect by the end of this year, to continue negotiations with Italy.

The two frigates are worth P11.7 billion.

The ships are primarily equipped for anti-submarine warfare with anti-aircraft and anti-surface capabilities. The Italian Navy has used the frigates since 1982 but the website naval-technology.com says they are scheduled to be replaced by newer ships next year.

The frigates are equipped with missiles, torpedoes, naval guns and a 27-meter wide helicopter flight deck.

Defense Undersecretary for Munitions, Installations and Material Fernando Manalo described the frigates as "more lethal" than the Navy’s BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a re-commissioned US Hamilton-class Coast Guard cutter.

"This is more potent and strong," Gazmin also said. "Makakatulong ng maigi yan kasi bigyan tayo ng napakagandang (They will help us very much because they will give us a very good)defense posture." 

Manalo said if the contract is approved within the year, the two frigates will be "retired" from the service by the Italian Navy.

The frigates will then undergo refurbishing, which will take up to nine months.

He stressed that the frigates would not be stripped down like the Hamilton-class cutters.

"We demanded that we will not accept what is less than what has been installed in the vessel. Nothing will be removed," Manalo said.

Modernization in full swing

 
Gazmin also said the military’s modernization is in full swing with about 60 percent of 140 contracts for the program already underway.

The rest of the contracts will depend on the enactment of the AFP modernization law, he said.

By the end of this year, Manalo said they are expecting the delivery of about 21 UH1H “Huey” helicopters, "two to four" attack choppers and two Multi-purpose Assault Crafts.

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Abigail Kwok | InterAksyon.com | August 2, 2012 | Article Link

DND wants frigate with 'surface-to-air' missile power

MANILA, Philippines - Defense spokesperson Peter Paul Galvez announced on Friday that one of the frigates to be acquired by the Philippines will have "surface-to-air" capabilities. That is, the ship will have the capability to fire missiles, guided by radar or heat sensors, at airborne targets.

"Aside from this, our latest frigate will have heavier gun armament and other equipment that will make it very effective in patrolling and securing the country's waters," Galvez said in Filipino.

He declined to state the particular country the Philippines will acquire this ship but stressed that acquisition will be done through a government-to-government transaction.

The Philippines has taken on a new sense of urgency to upgrade its naval capabilities as tensions continue to rise around the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). US President Barack Obama's announced "pivot" for America towards the Pacific has stirred greater naval activity on the part of China, triggering cross-border problems between the Asian superpower and the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, and Russia across the East and South China Seas. Against this backdrop, the Philippine Navy has been exposed to be glaringly ill-equipped to patrol and protect its own shores. 

Earlier, DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the military wants to acquire additional naval craft from Italy.

"We are not relying totally on the United States (for) our equipment acquisitions. We are also looking at the possibility of getting some of our equipment from Europe, specifically from Italy, depending on our budget," he added.

Possible naval craft to be acquired from Italy by the Philippines are the "Maestrale" and "Soldati" classes.

The "Maestrale" class, operated by the Italian Navy, is primarily designed for anti-submarine warfare.

However the vessels are highly flexible so they are also capable of anti-air and anti-surface operations.

It has a displacement of 3,300 gross register tons and a speed of 33 knots.

The ship is armed with anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, long range guns and automatic weapons, making it ideal to protect the country's maritime borders against poachers, pirates and foreign aggressors.

The "Soldati" class, on the other hand, is a multi-purpose warship designed for anti-surface warfare.

It has a displacement of 2,500 gross register tons and has a top speed of 35 knots.

The ship has missile, torpedo and gun armament and is capable of carrying an anti-submarine helicopter. 

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Philippine News Agency/InterAksyon.Com | July 28, 2012 | Article Link