Philippines to give US forces access to up to five military bases

Up to five Philippine military bases will be made available for U.S. forces to rotate aircraft, ships, equipment and troops, Manila's chief negotiator of a new security pact said on Friday, as the Philippines looks to counter China's rising power in the region.A new 10-year military agreement, which also covers storage of equipment for maritime security and humanitarian assistance, was signed with the United States last week, hours before President Barack Obama arrived for a two-day visit to Manila.

"Right now, the discussions would be ranging from three to five Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) bases," said Pio Lorenzo Batino, a defense undersecretary and head of the negotiating panel, told a news conference. "That's not final."He said the army's jungle training base in Fort Magsaysay, north of Manila, was "ideal location" for the United States because the two oldest allies in the region regularly hold joint exercises there.Military sources familiar with the discussions said the United States has also requested access to three former U.S. bases -- Clark airfield, Subic bay, Poro Point -- and Camp Aguinaldo, the military general headquarters in Manila.

The United States is also considering whether to seek access to four civil airports - Palawan, Cebu, General Santos, and Laoag - as well as Batanes airfield for refueling and emergency servicing, the sources said. There are also nearby bases in Cebu and Palawan.Defense and military officials said the new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will boost the Philippines' defense capabilities.Territorial disputes have made the South China Sea, believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas, a potential flashpoint for the region.Other countries and territories with competing claims include Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.
China has become increasingly assertive in the disputed waters, seizing control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 and has been blockading Second Thomas Shoal, where a Philippine Navy transport ship was deliberately run aground in 1999 to establish a presence.

Philippines Navy to Build Own Radars

The Philippine Navy is now planning to construct its own radar sets in a bid to fully secure the country's vast airspace from intruders with the assistance of the Naval Research and Development Center (NRDC).This is under the NRDC's Project "Itaas" (Filipino for high ground), PN spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic said.

This project is aimed at creating quality radar sets for all fleet units.He added that Project "Itaas" is one of the five priority projects of the NRDC.The other four programs include sonar equipment creation capability under Project "Ilalim" (literally meaning underwater), platforms under Project "Kuyog" (group) and the way ahead Project of NRDC, the satellite project under Project "Tuktuk" (surveillance) and Project "Putok" (explosives) for creation of modern munitions.

PN flag-officer-in-charge Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano said that these projects are primarily designed to support the Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy which focuses mainly on the enhancement of maritime situational awareness and maritime operations.These projects, when successfully pursued and executed through the partnership from the triad members, will mark a distinctive level of significance to the ideal of raising the PN’s level of research and development through the absorption of new technologies.

"This will pave the way to prevent the country from being technologically outwitted by any adversary," Alano concluded.

Philippine, Vietnam navies to unite against China

A Vietnamese naval soldier stands quard at Thuyen Chai island in the Spratly archipelago January 17, 2013.

CREDIT: REUTERS/QUANG LE

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/11/us-philippines-vietnam-insight-idUSBREA3901520140411?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

The Philippine navy will soon return to a South China Sea island it lost to Vietnam 40 years ago to drink beer and play volleyball with Vietnamese sailors, symbolizing how once-suspicious neighbors are cooperating in the face of China's assertiveness in disputed waters.Diplomats and experts describe the nascent partnership as part of a web of evolving relationships across Asia that are being driven by fear of China as well as doubts among some, especially in Japan, over the US commitment to the region.

When US President Barack Obama visits Asia this month he will see signs that once-disparate nations are strategizing for the future, even though he will likely seek to shore-up faith in America's "pivot" back to the region.Among the new network of ties: growing cooperation between Japan and India; Vietnam courting India and Russia; and Manila and Hanoi, the two capitals most feeling China's wrath over claims to the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, working more closely together. The Philippines and Vietnam are also talking to Malaysia about China.

"We are seeing a definite trend here, one that is likely to accelerate," said Rory Medcalf, a regional security specialist at Australia's independent Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney."It is quite a creative dance as countries hedge and try to cover themselves for multiple possible futures."While it was unlikely the new-found relationships would become military alliances, there was an intensity to their strategic discussions, including the sharing of assessments about China's rise and influence, Medcalf said.

Regional diplomats confirmed increasing levels of trust at a working level, as countries find that China's projection of naval power into Asia's waters is driving them together.

Bidding for P270-M Multi Purpose Attack Craft for Philippines Navy Deal Fails

The bidding for the supply of three multi-purpose attack craft for the Philippines Navy failed as bidders did not meet the documentary requirements set by the government.Five parties expressed interest on the P270-million project, which seeks to boost the Navy’s operational readiness in maritime security, domain awareness and mobility for territorial defense operations.

These are the joint venture of Propmech Corp. and Taiwan’s Lung Teh Shipbuilding; the joint venture of Stoneworks Specialist International Corp. and Indonesia’s Multi Prima; Rovia Road Yacht Boat Builder, Colorado Shipyard Corp. and Hong Kong’s Armacraft Co. Ltd.; and Santiago Shipyard and Shipbuilding Corp.Only four of the five companies that bought the bid documents submitted offers. Local firm Santiago Shipyard and Shipbuilding Corp. did not join the bidding because it lacked time to comply with documentary requirements.

None of the bidders, however, was able to fully satisfy the requirements under the procurement law.Most of the bidders failed to submit a detailed bill of quantities, a document that specifies all the items and services they plan to provide.The submission of the detailed document is required under the law to discourage lump sums, which have been perceived as a possible source of corruption.

One of the bidders, the joint venture of Stoneworks and Multi Prima, failed to present a certification from the Indonesian embassy that the English translation of its documents was accurate.Because of the unsuccessful bidding, the documents of the project will be returned to the Navy for mandatory review.Security sources told The STAR that the Bids and Awards Committee is likely to hold another public bidding for the project.The project involves the purchase of the three vessels and initial integrated logistics support, including crew training. A separate project or lot will involve the acquisition of advanced weapons system, including missile launch systems.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/07/14/bidding-p270-m-navy-deal-fails

Israeli firm - Elbit Systems - bags P368-M deal to supply artillery to Philippines Army

Elbit Systems Land and C41, a defense material manufacturer based in Israel, won the bid to supply the Army more than P368 million worth of artillery, a source privy to the bidding said.

“Elbit offers P368,837,332 for 12 pieces of 155 Howitzer canons with accessories and ammunition,” beating Bosnian firm BNT, the source said.The second conference that concluded with the choosing of the winning bid was held in Camp Aguinaldo.

The defense department’s Bids and Awards Committee for the project is led by Assistant Secretary Efren Fernandez.Elbit offered its Athos howitzer system.

Bids for the contract were opened on December 5 last year, following a pre-bid conference on November 22.

Phillipines Department of National Defense (DND) Weighs Options on P3-b Radar

American FPS-117

Elta ELM 2288 Radar

 The Department of National Defense is looking at two options in its plan to purchase three units of Long-Range Surveillance Radar which the Philippine Air Force needs.The radar units will be fitted into  the lead-in training fighter jets  the DND  will buy from South Korea.

The radar units will cost P3 billion or a little more and it’s all up to the Defense officials to decide whether US or Israeli firms will firm up the contract.The planned acquisition came after   President Benigno Aquino III earmarked a P75-billion budget to make Defense and military equipment meet  the “minimum credible defense”.

The US is offering its TPS-77 model which is very similar to the FPS-117 the American are using.But the DND and PAF are also considering the Israel-made Elta ELM 2288 Radar system.

Philippine Plans to Procure 8 Combat Utility Helicopters and 2 ASW Helicopters

The Department of National Defense on Monday said it has allocated P5.4 billion for the acquisition of two brand-new anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the Philippine Navy."The ASW helicopters is one of the projects included in the list of the AFP Modernization Program. The project is for implementation," DND undersecretary for finance, modernization, installations, and munitions Fernando Manalo said in a message to the PNA.

Manalo said the acquisition process is expected to be completed by this year.The Philippine Navy earlier announced it is considering the AW-159 "Wildcat" made by Augusta-Westland.The choppers will be assigned to the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz.The AW-159 is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx military helicopter.The AW-159, which has been ordered for the British army and navy, will serve in battlefield utility, search and rescue and anti-surface warfare roles.

It has a crew of two, has a maximum speed of 291 kilometers per hour, a range of 777 km, ferry range of 963 km and an endurance of one and a-half hours, (four hours and 30 minutes if fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks).The AW-159 is fitted with forward firing CRV7 rockets and machineguns, pintle-mounted machinegun, Sea Skua missiles and Sting Ray torpedoes and depth charges.

The acquisition process for the AW-159 is expected to commence in earnest once the Navy completes an acquisition deal for five AW-109s from Augusta-Westland by the third quarter of this year.

Strategic Sealift Vessel of the Philippine Navy Awarded to PT PAL

The Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) and the Philippine Navy (PN) has selected Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL (Persero) to build 2 Landing Platform Docks (also known as the Strategic Sealift Vessels or SSV). PT PAL's executives confirmed that they already received the Notice of Award as of 1st week of January.

A contract was already signed between PT PAL and the DND/PN as of the end of January 2014, thus finalizing the start of construction of the 2 ships for the PN. It is expected that the first ship will be delivered to the PN within 2 years, or by around February 2016, with the second ship delivered by around February 2017. 

Philippines Department of Defense to purchase 28 armoured infantry fighting vehicles from Israel

The Department of National Defense has signed a P882-million contract with an Israel-based firm for the purchase of 28 armored infantry fighting vehicles.DND Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez said in an interview on Thursday that the deal was signed last week with Elbit Systems Land and C4L for the "very capable" vehicles.

Velez declined to divulged the vehicles' specifications citing security reasons.He said that four of the 28 armored vehicles are recovery models to be used to tow damaged units and those incapacitated in the battlefield.Fourteen of the new acquisitions, meanwhile, will be used as fire support vehicles equipped with 76mm cannons taken from decommissioned vehicles.

The delivery of the vehicles are expected to be completed by January 2015.The Philippine Army is so far equipped with 343 armored fighting vehicles for its 10 infantry divisions.

The 28 armored infantry fighting vehicles are among the the department's planned acquisitions this year for the Army. The list includes a shore-launched anti-ship missile system, various grenade launchers, 155mm Towed Howitzers and a few other trucks.

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.