'Galing ng Pinoy!' PH Army ushers in age of robots, 'COBRA'
Published Dec 12, 2025 11:19 am
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Updated Dec 12, 2025 02:15 pm
The Philippine Army (PA) Armor Division's M113A1 armored personnel carrier (APC) fires the Controller-Operated Battle Ready Armament (COBRA) during a capability demonstration in Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac on December 11, 2025. (Photo: PA)
The Philippine Army (PA) accelerated its shift toward robotics and automated defense systems with two newly unveiled initiatives: a university-led development of a ground-based surveillance robot and the arrival of a locally designed remote-operated weapons platform from government scientists, military officials disclosed Friday, Dec. 12.
In separate activities, the PA formalized its partnership with the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for the development of the SAFEGUARD Robot and received the Controller-Operated Battle Ready Armament (COBRA) from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The twin projects signaled the Army’s move to expand its use of unmanned and remote technologies as it transitions to more advanced external defense operations, according to PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala.
SAFEGUARD Robot
The SAFEGUARD Robot, short for Surveillance and Field Evaluator for Ground-based Unmanned Autonomous Robot, will be developed by UST’s Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences under a memorandum of agreement signed on last Nov. 28.
Funded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), the project aims to strengthen local capacity in unmanned ground systems.
“The project will advance unmanned autonomous ground-based technologies that support surveillance, field evaluation, and operational safety in various missions,” Dema-ala said.
The Philippine Army (PA), through the Research Development Center of the Support Command, and University of Santo Tomas (UST) representatives gather for a commemorative photo following the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the development of the prototype of the Surveillance and Field Evaluator for Ground-based Unmanned Autonomous (SAFEGUARD) Robot at the UST campus in Sampaloc, Manila on Nov. 28, 2025. (Photo: PA)
The PA, through the Research Development Center of the Support Command, will serve as co-implementor and provide design support, testing expertise, and operational evaluation for the prototype.
The development project aims to create a locally developed ground robot that can support soldiers in surveillance, field assessment, and operational safety, especially in missions where sending troops first would be risky.
It can be used for reconnaissance in unfamiliar or hostile terrain, initial site assessment after natural disasters or combat operations, and even gathering visual and environmental data without exposing personnel to danger.
COBRA
Meanwhile, the PA formally received the COBRA, a remote-operated and mounted weapons system designed to allow soldiers to fire heavy weapons under cover, during a turnover ceremony witnessed by ranking officials from the Department of National Defense (DND), DOST, and the Army on Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Armor Division in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac.
“With COBRA, our soldiers will no longer be exposed to heavy fire when operating heavy weapons,” PA Commanding General Lt. Gen. Antonio G. Nafarrete said.
COBRA is essentially a remote-controlled gun mount that can be installed on military vehicles or fixed positions. It allows troops to operate heavy weapons using a controller, enabling them to stay behind cover instead of standing directly behind the weapon. It can be fitted into armored vehicles or stationary platforms and can handle heavy firepower typically used in combat operations.
And because soldiers don’t need to be physically beside the weapon, they are shielded from direct hits, ambushes, and sniper fire.
“The strategy is clear: we start by strengthening the foundations — the research, the production capabilities, and institutional support — then build upwards, layer by layer, until we have an industry that can stand strong and succeed on its own,” DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in his remarks delivered by DND Undersecretary for Defense Technology Research and Industry Development Rene S. Diaz.
Engineers from the DOST designed and built the system while the PA provided operational requirements, testing environments, and inputs to ensure it meets real-world combat needs.
Nafarrete added that the system reflects the military’s push for a self-reliant defense posture rooted in local research and innovation.
“The development and subsequent manufacture of COBRA is a testament to the Philippine Army’s collaborative approach in support of the government’s Self Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP),” he said.
“It also aligns with the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program which will provide means and resources for soldiers to accomplish every mission effectively and support the military's active transition to external security operations,” he added.