SUB ‘KILLERS’ UNLEASHED

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As our Navy gears towards development and modernization, we ensure that our personnel [are] aligned with this innovation to sustain and adapt to the fast and growing naval warfare technology and optimize our assets to their full capability,” it added.

W ith the BRP Jose Rizal qualified for AW-159 operations, it is only a matter of time before the frigate will have a Wildcat land on its flight deck.

‘Wildcats’ delivered in 2019

THE PN’s two AW-159 anti-submarine helicopters were delivered on May 7, 2019, and commissioned on June 17 of the same year.

The aircraft were acquired for P5.4 billion, including its munitions, mission-essential equipment, and integrated logistic support.

W ildcats can be armed with rockets, machine guns, missiles, torpedoes and depth charges, and fitted with modern sonar systems for tracking down submarines.

Th e AW-159s were acquired to complement the JRCF’s ASW capabilities.

Missile, torpedo countermeasures

AS this developed, the PN announced that the two JRCFs are now equipped with countermeasures as protection for hostile missile and torpedo attacks.

Th is was after both frigates were equipped with the Rheinmetall Denel Munitions “Bullfighter” chaff decoys which are capable of misleading or misdirecting antiship missiles aimed at these vessels in the event of a conflict.

Th e PN on March 24 demonstrated its capability to decoy anti-ship missiles when its latest frigates fired their chaff in the waters off Zambales.

The ‘Bullfighter’ is a new generation of 130mm decoys for super rapid blooming off-board chaff (SRBOC) and other 130mm launcher systems to protect naval vessels up to the size of frigates against anti-ship missiles,” PN spokesperson Captain Benjo Negranza said in a statement.

C haff works by distracting radar-guided missiles from their targets by dispensing a small cloud of aluminum, metalized glass fiber or plastic which appears as a multiple cluster of targets in radar screens of the launching platforms.

The payload of the chaff is effective against missiles with modern and sophisticated seekers and electronic protection measures,” Negranza pointed out.

Th e PN spokesperson said the acquisition of chaff countermeasure capability is part of the PN’s 2nd Horizon modernization program that aims to provide these ships the capability to defend themselves against “modern naval warfare threats.”

Th ese capabilities are part of all incoming brand-new ship assets of the PN, including the two corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels now being built by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.

I n a Facebook post, the Navy said BRP Antonio Luna had the distinction of being the first ship to fire anti-ship missile decoys successfully.

“As insights, one of the unique identities of chaff and decoys as countermeasures against modern naval warfare threats is to confuse radar-guided or infrared-guided missiles fired so that they could be diverted. BRP Antonio Luna , as a guided missile frigate, has launchers with each tube set at slightly different angles, so at least one is covering every position of the ship. Once fired, they create a new fake ‘ship’ for the incoming missile, confusing it, and improving the defender’s odds of survival,” it added.

O n the other hand, these two frigates are also reported to have received their anti-torpedo countermeasures from France’s Naval Group.

The system is based on the company’s “Canto/Contralto” antitorpedo defensive system and will be installed into the two ships’ “CGuard” launching system.

Th e PN is still to make an official announcement about this delivery but sources said these anti-torpedo countermeasures work by “generating a high-level acoustic signal over a 360-degree arc, covering the full frequency of the attacking torpedo.”

Th ey also expressed confidence that the Navy will make public the installations of these defensive capabilities once it has successfully hurdled operational testing like the Bullfighter chaff decoy system.

Senator wants sub plan on hold MEANWHILE , as the PN is making steady progress on beefing up its capabilities against the threat posed by hostile submersibles, Sen. Francis Escudero advised the Navy to “shelve its plan” to buy submarines and focus more on acquiring ships for “disaster and relief” missions.

Before it borrows money to buy submarines, the Philippines should first acquire locally made ships, like floating hospitals and rescue boats,” he added.

Th e PN needs around P80 billion to P100 billion to acquire two state-of-the art diesel electric submarines to jumpstart its undersea fleet.

E scudero also said these naval assets will “aid people and towns hit by typhoons, which are getting frequent and stronger.”

A nd while supportive of calls for a stronger Navy, the lawmaker said this couldn’t be done on a shoestring budget.

E scudero also expressed hope that only when the country’s economy improves can they give the PN submarines and other modern assets it needs.