For a country, sovereignty and the protection of its people are the most important things that it should prioritize against threats from other countries. That’s why the Philippine Navy needs to acquire gunboats and other armaments to defend its country from possible attacks.
Philippine Navy Welcomes Two New Additional Gunboats from Israel
With the current situation going on in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea, it’s best to be prepared than being caught off-guard. China started to claim sovereignty over the
maritime area, including its trillion cubic feet of natural gas as well as billions of barrels of untapped oil.
Neighbouring Asian countries contradicted the said claim, particularly the Philippines. This is the main reason why Chinese coast guards are harassing Filipino fishermen and Philippine coast guards.
Delivered last April 11 of this year, the two gunboats called fast attack interdiction craft (FAIC) platforms were named after two Medal of Valor awardees. Christened as BRP Gener Tinangag (PG903) and BRP Domingo Deluana (PG905). These unsung heroes will be remembered forever for their courage and heroism. BRP stands for Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas.
Bought for ₱10 billion, these Acero-class patrol gunboats is part of the nine Shaldag MK V
vessels contracted with Israel Shipyards Inc. These gunboats will patrol the territorial and coastal waters of the country. They will also ally with BRP Nestor Acero and BRP Lolinato To-ong, likewise baptized before the personnel who received the highest military honours.
Equipped with quick intercept ability, short-range missiles, and remote stabilized weapons, these 32-meter-long FAICs can seliver accurate strikes against bigger opponents and high-value targets both on land and sea.
“These activities represent a great stride in the capacity enhancement and capability upgrade of the Philippine Navy, and a giant leap towards its vision of becoming modern and multi-capable to better protect our seas and secure the Filipino people,” said the Philippine Navy during a press release.
The acquisition of these gunboats is part of the Horizon 2 List of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.
Request of More Missile Systems from Israel
The rising conflict between Taiwan and China is enough reason for the Philippines to procure and acquire weapons and missile systems to protect its land, sea, and its people. On Monday, Senate President Miguel Zubiri led the christening of the two FAIC. He promised to legislate the proposed Philippine Defense Industry Development Act to develop the country’s capacity to produce armaments and vessels locally for the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Additionally, he graced the blessing of the newly developed Naval Shipbuilding Yard. It’s a project embarked upon with the collaboration with Israel Shipyards Ltd. He requested the establishment of a credible defense stance for the Philippines amidst tension in the South China Sea.
“We’re also asking the Israeli government to help us with armaments and missile systems because what good is a brand new boat without armaments? We’re also looking at anti-submarine planes, larger base ships for the West Philippine Sea,” Zubiri said.
He assured the Navy of the entire Senate’s support and will give them proper equipment. The Senate chief also guarantees that senators are steadfast to offer additional help and equipment to the Philippine Navy.
Image Source: Rhk111/WikimediaCommons
