The Philippine Navy (PN) demonstrated its first ever anti-air warfare capabilities off the coast of San Antonio, Zambales on Friday, May 19. 

(President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. witnesses the demonstration of the Philippine Navy's first ever anti-air warfare capabilities off San Antonio, Zambales on May 19, 2023. Photo by Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. boarded PN landing dock BRP Davao del Sur (LD 602) as he witnessed the event which served as a prelude to the PN’s 125^th founding anniversary celebration on Saturday, May 20.

Vice Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr., PN Flag Officer in Command, said the demonstration showcased the Navy’s increased warfighting capabilities especially in air defense, electronic warfare, and vessel survivability “which are vital in navigating the evolving security challenges in our maritime environment.”

“These modern acquisitions not only signify our readiness to defend our maritime domain but also reflect the tremendous progress we have made in reinforcing our naval force,” Adaci said.

 
(The Philippine Navy demonstrates its first ever anti-air warfare capabilities off San Antonio, Zambales on May 19, 2023. Photo by Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)

The event was supposed to be highlighted by the test firing of the Mistral 3 surface-to-air missile (SAM) which was fitted on the missile-guided frigate, BRP Antonio Luna (FF151).

The Mistral 3 SAM is a highly advance weapons system designed to attack and destroy airborne targets including drones, aircraft, and missiles. It has 90-millimeter high-explosive warheads, a range of more than three nautical miles, and speed of 2.7 Mach.

The weapons system was procured by the Navy as part of its Frigate Acquisition Project Lot 2B which was awarded to the MBDA Missile Systems based in France and delivered in October 2021.

However, Adaci said that the drone that was supposed to be targeted by the Mistral 3 SAM failed to take off in Brgy. San Miguel, approximately three kilometers from San Antonio town, hence, the weapons system was not tested.

(The Philippine Navy launches the Bullfighter chaff anti-missile decoys as part of the demonstration of its first ever anti-air warfare capabilities off San Antonio, Zambales on May 19, 2023. Photo by Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN)

Meanwhile, the Navy successfully launched its Bullfighter chaff anti-missile decoys which serve as the frigate’s countermeasure to missile systems.

The Bullfighter chaff is a new generation of 130 mm decoy for Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Chaffs (SRBOC) and other 130 mm launcher systems to protect naval vessels against anti-ship missiles.

The chaff is a radar countermeasure where a particular target “confuses” and “distracts” guided missiles by spreading a cloud of small and thin pieces of aluminum, metalized glass fiber, or plastic. These objects appear as a cluster of primary targets on radar screens, thus, distracting the radar-guided missiles.

The Navy also presented the capabilities of its AW159 anti-submarine warfare naval helicopter which is equipped with a compact-FLASH dipping sonar and BlueShark torpedo. These are used to detect, locate, and neutralize stealthy submarines.

“The acquisition of these cutting-edge technologies and defense systems embodies our government’s support and commitment to equipping the Philippine Navy with the necessary tools to face any challenges that may arise,” Adaci emphasized.

All of the weapons presented during the demonstration were bought by the Navy for P670 million.