Philippine Navy gets unmanned aerial system from US

The Philippine Navy received on Wednesday a ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System from the United States, which aims to improve the military's maritime domain awareness and border security capabilities.

Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kimberly Kelly and representatives from the US Embassy in the Philippines Joint US Military Assistance Group turned over the unmanned aerial system to Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo at Naval Base Heracleo Alano in Sangley Point, Cavite.

The Navy's new asset was worth P710 million or $14.79 million, the US Embassy said in a statement.

Bacordo told reporters the new asset is a huge step in the modernization efforts of the Philippine Navy, noting that the ScanEagle UAS could expand the coverage of the Navy's patrol operations.

"You know our President is very supportive of our modernization efforts and we have all long dreamed to become a modern, a strong and capable Philippine Navy so whatever missions that we are capable of before, with this system, it will expand the coverage of all these missions whether it is for internal security operations, for territorial defense, for HADR or even just for maritime law enforcement operations," Bacordo said.

"In the area of territorial defense, it will expand our horizon, let's say if one ship can patrol a certain area in 24 hours... with this system, we can cover that same area maybe in just about four hours instead of the usual 24 hours patrols,' he added.

Bacordo said this could also help during response efforts after the onslaught of strong typhoons.

"With this system, we can have this airborne already and have the rapid damage and needs analysis so that our HADR responders can already proceed to the areas where they are most needed," he said.

According to the US Embassy, the ScanEagle UAS will provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to the AFP 71st Maritime Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron (71 MUARS) of the Philippine Fleet's Naval Air Wing, which will operate the aircraft out of Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui in San Antonio, Zambales.

Philippine Fleet chief Rear Admiral Loumer Bernabe said the ScanEagle UAS would help the military in the "effective assessment of subject areas, timely decision-making, and prompt action in the conduct of territorial defense, internal security operations as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations."

Armed Forces deputy chief of staff Vice Admiral Erick Kagaoan said the new asset would complement the same kind which was being operated by the 300th Air Intelligence and Security Wing at the Antonio Air Base in Palawan.

The US Embassy said the Philippine military is by far the largest recipient of US military assistance in the Indo-Pacific region.

Since 2015, the US provided more than P33 billion worth of planes, ships, armored vehicles, small arms and other military equipment to the Philippines, its long-time ally. — RSJ, GMA News