Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said that the agency is "fully committed" to producing more relevant research and development (R&D) based outputs that would allow the country to have an enhanced and self-reliant defense posture program in the coming years.

In his recent message during the stakeholders’ dialogue on Project BUHAWI, Solidum emphasized that DOST harnesses its R&D capabilities and resources to make a significant impact and contributions to various sectors and institutions including the defense department.

"The Department of National Defense (DND) is responsible for addressing the national security threats while DOST is mandated to offer timely and appropriate solutions to the challenges of various sectors through S&T research and development efforts, " said Solidum.

In 2019, the DOST through its Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) started the development of project BUHAWI or Building a Universal Mount for Heavy-Barrel Automated Weapon Integration. It is an automated gun mount for heavy barrel Browning 0.50 caliber machine guns that would strengthen the firepower capabilities of our navy’s small patrol craft in defending the country’s littoral water territories.

It was turned over on May 20, 2022, by the DOST-MIRDC to the Philippine Navy, an attached agency of the DND.

“As a product of science, technology, and innovation, project BUHAWI will satisfy the country’s desire for self-reliance in defense, a goal that we share and a goal that we will make to generate a much better life for Filipinos once achieved,” said Solidum.

He assured that DOST is determined to keep engaging in R&D to create and improve the features of project BUHAWI so that it becomes a homegrown technology that the Philippine Navy will find useful.

Solidum said that the Philippine Navy and the industries concerned with our seas will find project BUHAWI playing an important role in developing the country’s naval defense system. He added that project BUHAWI aims to build capabilities for manufacturing to realize the self-reliant defense posture that we must produce and use.

Meanwhile, DND Officer-in-Charge and Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr. said that project BUHAWI would not only improve the firepower capability of various floating assets of the Philippine Navy but will also save the government substantial financial resources in acquiring remote weapon systems for each of the floating assets from external sources. He said that the development cost of project BUHAWI is only 14 million pesos which can be reduced further to P12 million if mass-produced compared to imported technologies amounting to around 24 million pesos.

Also presented at the said event was another project of DOST-MIRDC, this time with the Philippine Army, called Controller Operated Battle-Ready Armament or COBRA.

Engr. Rodnel O. Tamayo, chief of the Prototyping Division of the DOST-MIRDC and project leader of COBRA, explained that this technology would enhance the firepower capability of armored vehicles of the Philippine Army through the design and integration of a Cal. 50 remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS).

Project COBRA has a gun mount with built-in control system and shielded housing as well as a weapon console and power system.

The stakeholders’ dialogue on Project BUHAWI was held to determine the way forward in the technology transfer process, in consultation with and participation of top decision-makers in the DOST, DND, and industry players who can manufacture BUHAWI units.