SHAH ALAM: The Joneses. The Philippines is set take delivery of the first of four air surveillance radars from Japan next month. The Philippines bought three fixed and one TPS-P14ME mobile radars back in 2020 from Mitsubishi Electric for some US$100 million (RM473 million).
From the Inquirer:
The Japanese embassy in Manila said Tokyo has started the transfer of the first of four fixed and mobile air surveillance radars ordered by the Philippines from Mitsubishi Electric Co. The rest of the radar systems will be delivered in batches until 2024.
A pre-delivery inspection was completed in September and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) trained the Air Force personnel on the radars in early October.
The airmen were elements of the 580th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing, which also participated in the 17-nation Pitch Black 2022 aerial exercise in Australia last month. The PAF unit manages the country’s radar network.
The Philippines and Japan signed a contract for three FPS-3ME fixed and one TPS-P14ME mobile surveillance systems for the PAF’s air surveillance
It is interesting to note that Japan had offered the similar radars to Malaysia about the same time it pitched the same deal to the Philippines. Mitsubishi Electric even took part in LIMA 2019 but unlike the Philippines, the Malaysian government never take defence seriously so nothing happened on our side. We are only interested in getting companies to take part in our defence exhibitions.
For the record RMAF have a requirement for at least five air surveillance radars, which have been in the books for the last decade or so. For the moment, we are getting one radar donated from the United States while the tender for one remained KIVed. Within five years, the requirements for five radars will go up to ten as most of those in service are obsolete already.
— Malaysian Defence
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I got a theory that the Thales radars that was previously used in Esszone were relocated to our outlying outposts in and around spratly
If we need 10 radar in the near future. It would be better to called a tender for 10 radars to be acquired rather than getting 1 radar at a time and end up with 10 different radar system from 10 different manufacturers.
The have the urgency because the only primary search radars were a couple of Eltas. For a long time all they had were secondary type ATC radars.
Alex,
No. For what you mentioned; commercial search radars are used. Good enough for the job.
Funded by US. Few days ago US announced a 100M military aid to Pinoy
zaft – “It would be better to called a tender for 10 radars”
It would be better to pray to the heavens that the army will have a EW squadron and a MBT regiment for every combined arms brigade and for Malaysia to be the world’s leading innovator and producer of hypersonic missiles.
You seriously think we’re going to order 10 radars in a go and from the same manufacturer? We don’t plan that far and we don’t show the required level of seriousness…
We can shout until our mouths dry up. But nithing will happen
Zaft has a point. Maybe tender for 8 radars and get 2 free!
Qamarul – “Few days ago US announced a 100M military aid to Pinoy”
“Pinoy” refers generically to the actual race and there is a masculine/feminine – “pinay” would be feminine. To be pedantic if we want to use Tagalog in the proper manner then it would be “Few days ago US announced a 100M military aid to “ang Pilipinas” [the actual country].
Like Thailand the Philippines is a non NATO U.S. ally; thus it gets extra goodies. Not too long ago the Malaysian Defence Minister said that we had benefited from U.S. aid totalling USD200 million the past few years.
Ehh really? i believed we will get more than one from the us because the indonesia already rejected US’s donation or i missed the bus?
“You seriously think we’re going to order 10 radars in a go and from the same manufacturer? We don’t plan that far and we don’t show the required level of seriousness…”
If what you want is a direct overseas order paid for in foreign currencies then NO.
Logically we could do bulk buy for radars and other stuffs and Leonardo does have us covered what we need end to end but you know, the more the merrier, and also buying from 1 OEM will create a lot of noise even tho it can be justified.
So far only one is committed.
100 Mil US dollars Grant by USA to Philippines to be use in Chinook or HIMARS, after Manila cancelled the deal on Russia MIL-17 17units (caatsa)
Zaft – “If what you want is a direct overseas order paid for in foreign currencies then NO”
You’re going off track. Stick to the topic.
If “what you want” is 10 radars in one go from the same OEM then “NO”. Must all well wish we acquire tactical low yield warheads by 2030 or us raising multiple sub flotillas. Again – we don’t think that far ahead and defence is not that level of a priority.
The most we’ve ever done in one go was 3-4 radars [primary and secondary ones] but that was a one off…
“Logically we could do bulk buy for radars and other stuffs”
“Logically” we could a lot of things but logic doesn’t enter the equation with our way of doing things and buying radars in bulk only means we have less cash to buy other long delayed stuff.
Once Upon a time we compare our defence sector with SG. Then ID gradually surpassed us and now philiphine defence modernization program is better than us.
Don’t worry, we still have Timor Leste in the region to be comapred
“less cash to buy other long delayed stuff”
If you ask TUDM, they will say those radars are long delayed stuff. As it is, buying bits & pieces doesn’t save us any money. On the contrary, buying in bulk meant we will have cost savings thus more money to buy other long delayed stuff.
@Romeo
We aren’t in a state of national peril that would wake up the rakyat & politicians that would gall us to take defence matters seriously. Even the LCS fiasco turned into a political mudsling match to tar each other with GE15 looming, rather than a catalyst to reassess the efficacy of our defence procurement. Unless we’re in eminent invaded, nobody will care except those who will profit from it.