Philippine Army to get 400 brand-new light rocket launchers

The Philippine Army still uses the M68 90mm recoilless rifle together with a few dozen of the smaller and older M18 57mm recoilless rifles. A new requirement for rocket launchers to replace them is in the pipeline.

The PA also uses the Armbrust rocket launcher, but this is a disposable one-shot system. The PA is looking for a reuseable system which is more cheaper in the long run.

In line with its modernization program, the Philippine Army (PA) on Friday announced that it will be getting 400 units of LRRs (light rocket launcher anti-tank weapons) before the end of 2014.Capt. Anthony Bacus, Army spokesperson, said that these weapons are meant to replace the 186 units of 90-mm and 26 pieces of 57-mm recoilless rifles currently in service.

He added the decision to acquire the 400 units of LRRs was done as the recilless rifles were too heavy to be carried by a single soldier alone."One of the downside aspect for these old weapons is that they are too heavy to be carried by an individual soldier, that most instances, it impedes the movement of maneuvering troops," Bacus stressed.

Aside from these LRRs, the PA also has 12 units of 76-mm guns and 300 25-mm cannons for its anti-armor role.Anti-armor capability refers to the ability to destroy or disable enemy armor in the battlefield.PA anti-armor weapons are issued to elite and special operations units and the newly-created mechanized infantry companies which consist of 14 armored vehicles each.