The Highlights of the House Deliberation for the Department of National Defense' 2025 Budget

The Department of National Defense, so as with the other departments within the executive branch, has presented its stance regarding its budgetary needs under the 2025 General Appropriations Bill, which will eventually be the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

This entry only provides the highlights on the recently concluded proceedings for the Defense Department's budgetary requirements.

AT A GLANCE

Projects presented in the image are among those mentioned in the defense budget deliberation.

The Department of National Defense's budget deliberation come as its sub-units like the Armed Forces of the Philippines are currently undertaking its modernization push, which basically means additional capacity-building tools and related requirements, with an aim to improve further the country's defense deterrence, particularly in the light of an ever-increasing tensions in the Indo-Pacific region such as in the areas like in the West Philippine Sea.

This means that the budget for each branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the year 2025 will come at around 124.991 Billion for the Philippine Army, 49.088 Billion for the Philippine Navy, and 49.800 for the Philippine Air Force, all of which on its total allotments from Personnel Services (PS) down to Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) and smaller projects earmarked under the Capital Outlay (CO). This is still different from the budget provided for the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

Now speaking of the RAFPMP or the Revised AFP Modernization Program, the National Expenditure Program or NEP for the year 2025 has the budget provided for the AFP's material acquisition projects at around Php 50 Billion in programmed appropriations and at least Php 25 Billion in un-programmed appropriations, with a total allotment for the Revised AFP Modernization Program earmarked at around Php 75 Billion total, or at least Php 25 Billion more compared to the 2024 RAFPMP budget.

Presenting the budget before the plenary within the chamber of the House of Representatives is Representative Jose Aquino II, who is the primary sponsor of the Department of National Defense' budget for the year 2025 as the legislature pushes the enactment of the 2025 General Appropriations Act before the year ends. A separate discussion for the defense budget in-detail will come separately from this article, which focuses more on the house budget deliberation highlights.

Totaling the overall budget for the different units under the Department of National Defense, including those belonging to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Government Arsenal, and others, is at Php 254.155 Billion. Adding up for the Revised AFP Modernization budget of Php 75 Billion, the figures will add up to at least Php 329 Billion. Ultimately, the overall figure presented as currently reported is at around Php 344.426 Billion.

CRITICISMS OF THE MAKABAYAN BLOC

One criticism pointed is with bilateral exercises the Philippines have with the United States.

Budget deliberation will not be complete without the interpellations that are usually done by the minority bloc, scrutinizing the detail, the numbers, and the purpose of each budget items that a department within the executive branch of the government presented, especially the figures already provided under the National Expenditure Program or NEP as crafted by the Development Budget Coordination Committee or DBCC, again under the executive branch.

Going through the details of the deliberation as provided through this video link here (timestamp starting at around 11:45 minutes), most of the criticisms dwell much to the average arguments of the bloc against the Visiting Forces Agreement and the annually held Balikatan Exercises, as aired out by the likes of ACT-Teachers party-list representative France Castro (timestamp at 17:00 minutes), although there are also arguments against the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

Regarding the Joint Exercise Balikatan, the criticisms pointed on its impact to the communities where the activities taking place, whereby daily activities get suspended as the conduct of the live fire exercise and other matters taking place. Another thing pointed out is on the criticisms involving the military sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA between the Philippines and the United States, saying that it might undermine the country's own sovereignty without taking China into account.

As for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, they pointed out the details regarding the Un programmed Appropriations, of which the list of projects earmarked for the 2025 General Appropriations Bill for this portion of the Revised AFP Modernization Program will come as this article goes on. 

There are at least eleven (11) separate acquisition programs that primarily delve into the upgrades of existing military hardware, increase of existing units of military hardware, and outright purchase of new ones.

In the following list, each detail will come according to the information already provided through this website, and also coming from multiple defense sources that will help grasp the plans and programs that the Department of National Defense have in lining up for the year 2025, using the un-programmed appropriations of the budget. 

Take note that this goes differently to the 2025 programmed appropriations of the Revised AFP Modernization Program, in which it will help fund ongoing projects under the Multi-year Contracting Authority or MYCA and priority projects such as the Multi-role Fighter Jet Acquisition Project.

EARMARKED PROJECTS

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries offered the HDF-3500 frigate design for the Batch 2 Frigate Acquisition Project (full complement) of the Philippine Navy.
From Frances Mangosing, X (formerly Twitter).

The highly important highlight of the budget deliberation for the Department of National Defense for the 2025 General Appropriations Bill is the list of acquisition projects earmarked for the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program or RAFPMP, particularly to the un-programmed appropriations of the budget amounting to Php 25 Billion. Take note that the appropriation has uncertain implementation, as the funding sources depend primarily on the remaining availability throughout the fiscal year.

There are at least eleven (11) key earmarked projects, plans, and programs that are earmarked to push if the funding becomes available for the un-programmed appropriations of the government budget, ranging from upgrading of existing platforms that are currently serving the different branches within the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to the new materials-based acquisitions project that helps increase the current firepower and military capabilities of service branches like the Philippine Navy and Air Force.

As already discussed the overview of this topic on our Facebook page, with the archived version link right here, this portion will provide a more comprehensive detail to delve on, with the following information that is barely touched on the original social media post provided.

1. AFP Electronic Warfare System

The electronic warfare system under this scope also covers the cyber systems concept of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly in aspects covering interconnectivity of systems and its usage as an offensive weapon that can disrupt and deny its use by opposition actors in an event of a conflict. 

As the modern warfare environment now allowing the use of sophisticated informations technology medium and electronics signaling that effectively sends and receives communication for a real-time coordination of military movements, different defense vendors across the globe offer a wide spectrum of system suites that might help protect critical electronic and cyber systems of the Philippine Armed Forces, while tapping this spectrum not only to disrupt the opposition actors of its usage but also to gather critical information through the term coined as "Electronic Intelligence or ELINT". 

There are examples of pushing this technological capability integration into the Armed Forces of Philippines' wide array of what count as electronic warfare tools, such as with the Philippine Air Force's Hermes 900 Unmanned Aerial Systems.

As of this time this article published, there are no specific details regarding this acquisition project yet. But with its inclusion into the list of important earmarked projects for the 2025 un-programmed appropriations of the Revised AFP Modernization Program underscores the Department of National Defense's need to improve this capability, both to secure its cyber and electronic networks while using the offensive tools to undermine the country's potential adversaries.

2 and 3. Frigate and Corvette Weapons and Sensor Systems Upgrade

Combining the second and third list, this calls for the acquisition projects that will address the improvement of capabilities of the Philippine Navy's currently operational vessels under the Offshore Combat Force, particularly the current Jose Rizal-class Frigates, BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39), and possibly the future Miguel Malvar-class Frigates, of which count by some as Corvettes under the Corvette Acquisition Project, even though it has the FF nomenclature.

The likely area of development that this upgrade will focus and address on is with the vessel's subcomponents that count as Fitted For, But Not With or FFBNW provisions. This refers to capabilities and subcomponents that are not available with the vessels during the time the contract has signed and the vessels start construction from steel cutting to the delivery, citing limited budgetary concerns as the primary reason of resorting to this arrangement.

For the Jose Rizal-class Frigates, it currently lacks the Vertical Launch System or VLS cell mounts and Close-in Weapons System or CIWS for expanded air defense coverage to protect the ship against incoming aerial threats, and the Towed Array Sonar that serve as a platform fitted with hydrophone, enabling a passive sonar activity that receives any submarine signatures and other faint seismic movements in the sea that is better than the capabilities that came with hull-mounted sonar onboard the ship.

As for the Corvette Acquisition Project, the one that produces the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates, it has the similar lacking capability on submarine warfare as it has the Towed Array Sonar coming as FFBNW provisions, although the systems upgrade aimed by the acquisition project funded under the un-programmed appropriations might enable the vessels to get the added capabilities it deserves to get, aiming at conducting anti-air and anti-submarine warfare capabilities effectively using these naval platforms.

3. Ground-Based Air Defense System (GBADS) Basing Support Development

Currently, the Philippine Air Force possesses several batteries of the Israeli-made Spyder-MR Ground-Based Air Defense System, provided accordingly by Rafael Advanced Systems Limited for the Philippine Air Force's acquisition project that bears this similar name. As usual, this project helps provide sufficient air defense coverage as part of implementing the country's air defense identification zone.

A basing support development provides sufficient mechanisms that ensure the overall operability of the air service branch's ground based air defense systems, especially in ensuring its serviceability and providing its overall readiness that maintenance, repair and operational requirements are always complete, lengthening the service life of each vehicle units within an air defense missile battery.

This development is just one among multiple projects undertaken that ensures additional support and enhanced serviceability of the Philippine Air Force's ground-based air defense systems, with others being the bunker and missile storage facilities in areas like in Basa Air Base, with support from Israel's Rafael Advanced Systems Limited as posted by the Israeli Embassy to the Philippines showing the improvement of bilateral defense ties of both countries.

Just as presented in the DOTMLPF concept, basing support facilities always play a crucial role that as similar to the personnel that operates and maintains both the facility and the purchased military hardware, along with importance stressed by buying sophisticated military hardware and to adhere to the doctrines in both decision-making on acquisition and its usage according to established military standards.

4. FA-50 Systems Upgrade

Since its entry into active duty within the Philippine Air Force's 5th Fighter Wing, the FA-50PH light fighter trainer aircraft bought from Korea Aerospace Industries will come with continuous support for its maintenance, repair, and operational requirements. This also comes with upgrades that the South Korean has in offering to this type of aircraft.

As discussed in an article published in 2019 and as presented by Korea Aerospace Industries in a Philippine Air Force symposium in 2023, there really is a clear interest from the leadership to improve the capabilities of its existing FA-50PH aircraft, particularly to the Block 20 configuration that the South Korean aerospace company is currently work into.

Going through the discussion, the FA-50PH will probably receive additional upgrades on top of the Block 20, preferably up to the capabilities introduced in Blocks 50 to 70 configuration, enabling the Philippine Air Force to operate a light and cost-effective multi-role fighter aircraft, although its firepower and loitering capacity is still lighter compared to the candidates of the Philippine Air Force's Multi-role Fighter Acquisition Project such as the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper and SAAB JAS-39 Gripen E variants.

As with the upgrades that the existing FA-50PH light fighter trainer aircraft of the Philippine Air Force likely receives, there is another project, still included in this list that involves the FA-50s, except that this time, it refers to the force multiplier component that will probably increase the numbers in the air service branch's inventory.

5. Additional FA-50 Aircraft

While this information comes nothing new, as the Philippine Air Force already expressed an interest in securing at least an additional squadron or twelve (12) units of this type of aircraft on its inventory, it is in this plenary session that the air service branch's intent of purchasing additional FA-50s for its squadron of aircraft becomes a bit more official. 

This come as the manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries or KAI, presented its marketing for the Philippine Air Force to secure at least two (2) more squadrons, or twenty-four (24) units of FA-50s, enabling the air service branch to operate and maintain at least thirty-six (36) of such light fighter trainer aircraft on its inventory, typically in tandem with the upcoming multi-role fighter jets.

To clarify things up, this project is clearly not to replace the ongoing multi-role fighter jet acquisition project of the Philippine Air Force, but this likely will complement the said priority upgrade, as the acquisition of additional FA-50s falls under the project name 'Additional Strike Attack Aircraft/Lead-In Fighter Trainer Acquisition Project' or 'SAA/LIFT Acquisition Project.' 

The difference between this and the MRF project, along with the project's inclusion in the 2025 un-programmed appropriations of the budget for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, stresses the Department of National Defense's desire to improve the Philippine Air Force's capabilities, particularly on its implementation of the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone or PADIZ. The following project will involve a key acquisition program of the Philippine Navy.

6. Batch II Frigate Acquisition Program (Full Complement)

Among those mentioned on the list is a new acquisition project intended to boost not only the Philippine Navy's firepower capabilities but also the numbers required to fill in the naval service branch's requirements for sea deployment. Apparently, this new iteration of the Frigate Acquisition Project comes differently to the first one that now has the Jose Rizal-class Frigates of the Philippine Navy.

Just in the recently concluded Asian Defense And Security Exhibition or ADAS 2024 in Pasay City's World Trade Center convention from September 25 to 27, 2024, the shipbuilder that made the Jose Rizal-class Frigates presented its tender for this new frigate project pushed by the Philippine Navy (see image above). The design presented shows a resemblance to the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates under the Philippine Navy's Corvette Acquisition Project.

With the design named as HDF-3500, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries presented what sees to be a vessel based on the initial draft specifications of the Philippine Navy for this project, as this vessel bear 3,500 tons, hull size of 129 meters long, and onboard weapons subcomponent being almost similar to the Miguel Malvar class with having a 4x2 anti-ship missile canisters, 16x cell Vertical Launch System (VLS), a single Close-In Weapons System (CIWS), 76mm main gun, and twin triple torpedo launchers.

While HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has an edge with its partnership experience with the Philippine Navy, other shipbuilders like Navantia also presented their designs and apparently come with quirks that are attractive for the Spanish shipbuilder to provide as a package under this acquisition project. Elaborative details regarding the Batch II Frigate Acquisition Program will find its way as a separate discussion and writeup within this website.

7. Additional Air Defense Surveillance Radar (ADSR) System with Basing Support

Aside from fighter aircraft and ground-based air defense systems, surveillance radars also play a crucial role in implementing a country's air defense identification zone or ADIZ, whereby these sensors' ability to monitor and detect incoming threats from the air into the country's airspace gives real opportune time for fighter aircraft and ground-based air defense systems to intercept it and eliminate the threat whenever it comes necessary.

For the Philippine Air Force's current arrangement, its air surveillance radar option primarily compose of Israel's ELM-2288 AD-STAR from Elta under the first phase of the radar project, while Japan's J/FPS-3ME fixed air defense surveillance radars and J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar, both produced by Mitsubishi Electric, itself purchased under the second phase of the radar project. The 2025 earmarked project is likely slated for the third and final phase of this radar project.

For context, both the first phase and second phase of the radar project already provide significant coverage for the monitoring and safekeeping of the country's airspace, with the third phase of this project slated under 2025 Revised AFP Modernization Program under un-programmed appropriations providing a complete 100% coverage for the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone's full materialization. This renders ensured protection and detection of intrusions as part of the Philippine Air Force mandate.

There are no candidates for this project yet, but there is a likelihood that the aforementioned air defense radar suites originated from both Israel and Japan may find once again as an option for this third phase of the radar project. Also, the repeat orders for military hardware under the New Government Procurement Act or the Republic Act 12009 now enable the leadership to simply securing already-purchased similar platforms for this project to push through.

8. 155mm Howitzer, Precision-Guided Munition (PGM) Ready

This project calls for the acquisition of an additional 155mm howitzers, likely to complement existing platforms within the Philippine Army. This service branch currently operates 155mm howitzer platforms, both towed and self-propelled. There is no mention of which type of such platforms might get chosen, although the mere inclusion of this project on the list under un-programmed appropriations gives intention to add the artillery pieces in use.

Currently, the Philippine Army operates both the Soltam M71 155mm towed howitzer, the M114 155mm towed howitzer, and the ATMOS 2000 155mm self-propelled howitzer. Both the Soltam M71 and the ATMOS 2000 have originated from Israel's defense industries, with Soltam producing the towed howitzer and Elbit Systems producing the ATMOS 2000 howitzer platform. The M114 howitzer originated from the United States, and also the oldest artillery piece in the army that fires 155mm ammunition.

Since the Israeli-made howitzers are fruits of recently accomplished acquisition projects, there is a likelihood that the Philippine Army might consider either the Soltam M71 or the ATMOS 2000 howitzer, with the latter having an advantage of mobility given that being a self-propelled howitzer, the Elbit Systems product has the capability of partaking a shoot and scoot strategy, whereby it fires its rounds and gets deployed to another location immediately to ensure increased survivability.

Hence, it is just appropriate to add more artillery pieces that the Philippine Army sees useful not only to pulverize and eliminate targets of insurgency in context but also to have added coastal effectiveness as these platforms will come with compatibility in firing precision-guided munition that ensures maximum accuracy and output of destruction against a desirable target that poses a threat to the country's national security.

9. Integrated Short-Range Air Defense (SHORADS)

Aside from medium range air defense solutions like the Spyder-MR air defense system that the Philippine Air Force currently have, another acquisition project that the Department of National Defense focus on is with the purchase of short-range air defense systems or SHORADS, of which this include the likes of the Man-Portable Air Defense Systems or MANPADS.

One of such short-range air defense platforms is the MBDA Mistral air defense system, which is currently the mainstay air defense platform onboard the Jose Rizal-class Frigates since dedicated air defense components like a Close-In Weapons System or CIWS and Vertical Launch System or VLS suites count as a separate purchase that count as Fitted For, But Not With or FFBNW at the time the frigates are in production.

Increasing the number of integrated short-range air defense systems that the Armed Forces of the Philippines highly considering under this list of projects under the un-programmed appropriations helps enhance this spectrum of air defense platform, considering that this layer of air defense still count as essential particularly against low-flying aircraft or a helicopter that belonging to the opposition forces (OPFOR).

Like the 155mm Howitzer, there are no specifics regarding this project at the time of this writing, although future discussions will help shed additional light to the development and specific details regarding the project's size, numbers, specifications, and other relevant details that have come as usual sub-topics that are regular information as discussed on this website.

10. Landing Craft Unit (LCU)

Completing the list is the acquisition plan to purchase landing craft units, of which this refers to small amphibious platform that have come in tandem with larger amphibious vessels like a Landing Platform Dock or LPD. For context, the Philippine Navy embarks on a project that adds two (2) more such amphibious platforms over the existing two (2) that currently comprise the Tarlac-class Landing Docks. The project name for the additional large amphibious platform is the Landing Docks Acquisition Project.

Referring to the linked article on the Landing Docks Acquisition Project, one highlighted part that goes correlated to this project is that each Landing Platform Dock only comes with at least one (1) landing craft unit or LCU per vessel, as opposed to the Tarlac-class Landing Platform Dock's two (2) landing craft units per vessel when this project, named the Strategic Sealift Vessel or SSV Acquisition Project, has materialized. This project for landing craft units basically resolves this issue that counts as an FFBNW item.

This means that the current Landing Docks Acquisition Project only comes with an overall sum of two (2) landing craft unit, as opposed to the original Strategic Sealift Vessel Acquisition or SSV Acquisition Project's four (4) landing craft units. Basically, this project provides at least another two (2) landing craft units as a separate purchase that will cover up any missing capabilities that the upcoming additional Landing Platform Docks that the Philippine Navy gets.

As the additional Landing Platform Docks or LPDs are currently in production by the Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL Persero, it only makes sense that this same shipbuilder will produce the additional two (2) landing craft units, whereby the ending result will mean a completely capable large amphibious vessels together with a pair of landing craft units each vessel that can transport both troops and military equipment from ship to shore.

SENATE'S SUPPORT

Currently, the budget for the Revised AFP Modernization Program has allotted funds on ongoing projects under the Multi-Year Contracting Authority or MYCA, such as the Miguel Malvar-class frigates.
Image from L.A. Bernardino.

In a Senate Finance Committee hearing that took place on September 24, 2024, the senators provided support and urged the prioritization of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines (RAFPMP) Modernization Program, especially in giving it sufficient budget given the increasing assertiveness by Chinese forces in heated areas like those in the West Philippine Sea.

This comes as the budget allotted for the Revised AFP Modernization Program for the year 2025 only has a sum amounting to Php75 Billion, Php 50 Billion of which counts under the programmed appropriations and the remaining Php25 Billion come as un-programmed appropriations. Take note that the projects under un-programmed appropriations only get materialized once there is a guaranteed availability of funds for its continuation.

For context, the Department of National Defense requested at around Php245 Billion for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, of which this gets reduced to only Php75 Billion by the time the National Expenditure Program or NEP for the year 2025 has released. Still, the budget saw a highly significant increase from the 2024 General Appropriations Act allotment for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, as the current budget comes at around Php50 Billion Pesos, of which Php10 Billion is under un-programmed appropriations.

One proposal raised is to get the Php25 Billion allotment under un-programmed appropriations re-aligned to programmed appropriations, which basically means guaranteed availability of funds for all the earmarked budget while highlighting the priority needed in materializing most acquisition programs under the Revised AFP Modernization in 2025 as the Philippine defense capability requires catching-up to its neighboring contemporaries.

In the end, it remains to see how this proposal goes, but it comes with a hope that the urgency and priority required for the Revised AFP Modernization Project now gets recognition, and all it takes now is to have that acknowledgement of the concerns put into consideration, and eventually finds its way to the final version of what will be the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

LOOKING FORWARD

Multi-role Fighter Jets are actually a priority under the 2025 budget for the Revised AFP Modernization Program.
Contributor Photo

In the discussion regarding defense budgeting for big-ticket projects like the ones under the Revised AFP Modernization Project, it always highlights the shortcomings of pooling up necessary resources to fund the capacity-building initiatives of the Department of National Defense, especially now that its leadership now resorts to some creative financing schemes, which now involves seeking support from the private sector, or to deal with weapons manufacturer with soft loan schemes or similar arrangements.

Resorting to such an approach not only helps decrease the defense department's reliance on the release of the annual budget, but also provides additional avenues that enable it to have multiple options that help fund various acquisition projects under the Revised AFP Modernization Program, while also having added flexibility on the financing schemes provided that fully gives benefit to both the government's push for external defense and in ensuring its fiscal stability in the upcoming years.

The direct and blunt answer from the Department of National Defense before the legislators of both the House of Representatives and Senate has given acknowledgement in stressing the need for prioritizing the projects under the Revised AFP Modernization Program, particularly the list of programs under the 2025 defense budget's un-programmed appropriations. Items such as additional frigates and FA-50PH underscore the defense department's urgency for capacity-building under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept or CADC.

Currently, the Php50 Billion budget for the Revised AFP Modernization Program helps address the ongoing projects that the Department of National Defense has under the Multi-Year Contracting Authority or MYCA, of which includes the projects that are still ongoing at the time of this writing such as the Landing Docks from Indonesia, both the Offshore Patrol Vessels and the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates from South Korea, and three (3) C-130J-30 aircraft from the United States. 

As pointed out, the year 2025 might provide a promising stature for funding the Revised AFP Modernization Program, whereby the aforementioned projects under the un-programmed appropriations, along with priority projects under programmed appropriations such as the multi-role fighter jets for the Philippine Air Force, might eventually get materialized as intended. 

Still, as budget shortcomings now acknowledged, perhaps a justifiable increase in budget for the Revised AFP Modernization Program to desirable numbers might finally give justice not only to the needs of the defense department but also into addressing the need into enhancing the country's national security and preserving its sovereignty and interest.

(c) 2024 PDA.

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The Story of the Philippine National Police's Shladot MDT Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle

When talking about armored vehicles, the primary discussion usually points to the ones currently operated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, specifically the ones operated either by the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps. 

The Philippine National Police or PNP usually come with law enforcement duties congruent with the assurance of giving security and safety of the citizenry in a domestic sense, where it only comes with patrol vehicles and basic armored vehicles that deter criminals from brewing more disorder in the Philippine society. Its special forces, in this manner, also have its fleet of armored vehicles worthy for discussion in this platform.

DISCUSSION OVERVIEW

The Philippine National Police's Special Action Force (SAF) operates several of such armored personnel carrier seen in the image above.
Image captured by Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo, via Image Source.

At the general thought, the primary elements for ensuring the mandate of the Philippine National Police primarily dwell in the premise that points more on law enforcement and a single important component in the Philippine Criminal Justice System, ensuring an orderly and just society with the full implementation of the country’s national law safeguards the primary safety and interest of the Filipino people. And with this mandate also comes ensuring the country’s stability and internal security measures.

Talking about the country’s internal security measures, it also comes with various challenges that a country’s police force needs to consider, although this usually comes with the Philippine government’s force apparatus like the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

This is usually the case for the country’s counterinsurgency operations or COIN OPS, as both the police and the military plays a part in mitigating the threats originating from both the communists and Moro separatists, if not outright terrorists.

As these mountain-bound bandits come more prepared and armed as compared to petty criminals at streets, it does not come as a surprise that the Philippine National Police, through the Special Action Force or SAF, requires an armored vehicle that enables the law enforcement component of the Philippine government to partake with its needed objectives, while minimizing the need for reliance on the support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in dealing with this type of threat.

Typically, the armored vehicle composition of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force or PNP-SAF usually composes of the older V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando Armored Personnel Carrier, the same type of vehicle that also come as a mainstream wheeled armored vehicle of the Philippine Army, alongside the GKN Simba and the newly purchased VBTP-MR Guarani 6x6 Armored Personnel Carrier. This comes reminiscent of an era when the organization was still the Philippine Constabulary.

With the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernizing its military hardware and equipment, and with the age of the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando APCs of the PNP-SAF becoming older, it only comes sense for the organization to secure a newer type of armored vehicle, whereby it specifically adheres to the law enforcement organization’s own specifications, while improving its protection capabilities and slowly getting the older platform replaced, eventually.

This refers to the Shladot MDT Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle, regarded as one of the primary security platform of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force, currently augmenting its specialized operational needs, particularly in dealing with any future occurrences relating to counterinsurgency operations, counter-terrorist operations, and other operations that is critical for the country’s national security and interest that aligns with discussing on topics encompassing Philippine defense.

In this piece, the discussion delves primarily to the usual key points on the company that produces the armored vehicle, the specifications of the armored vehicle highlighted for this topic, and related comparison to the other armored vehicle platform that the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force have in its inventory. Ultimately, the points provided give detailed insight and information regarding the newest armored vehicle platform that the law enforcement agency has in its arsenal.

ABOUT SHLADOT MDT

A screen grab of the Shladot MDT Website.

Part of understanding the Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle that the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force came into being is the background of the company that helped develop and produce this platform, whereby its practices in ensuring a quality product helped the law enforcement agency’s elite unit consider its capabilities for its use, particularly on its impact on organization’s‌ critical mission objectives. As for the MDT Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle, this is just one of Shladot’s multiple products.

At a glance, Shladot is an Israeli firm that primarily focuses on providing both commercial transport systems and armored vehicles. This is different to the weapon systems principle practiced by its peers like Elbit Systems Limited or Rafael Advanced Systems, both of which helped provide the Armed Forces of the Philippines its capacity-building requirements from units of Sabrah Light Tank and ATMOS 2000 self-propelled artillery to batteries of Spyder Ground-Based Air Defense Systems, respectively. 

Regarding its business, Shladot focuses on four key areas on operating and promoting its business operations, of which one covers its armored vehicle business that caters military, law enforcement, and civilian operations. 

The other areas include Defense and Law Enforcement Mobile Systems that deal with riot control components, cash in transit, and command shelters, Commercial Transport Systems that cover truck body models for logistical purposes, and Engineering and Metal Works.

In Shladot’s product line webpage, it lists specifically the products that the Israeli firm markets and looked after by prospective end-users like the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force where, aside from the Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle, they also market the David armored vehicle, along with other armored solutions for various aircraft such as for UH-1H Huey, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and AW-109 utility helicopters, along with armored kits for fixed-wing aircraft like the C-130 cargo aircraft.

While Shladot’s product line involves armored vehicles, it only encompasses the armored personnel carrier type of vehicle, of which this comes appropriately to the law enforcement agencies like the Riot Control and Assault Ramp Vehicles it offers, rather than full-pledged combat vehicles that its other Israeli firms and contemporaries produce, pointing once again to the contribution provided by Elbit Systems have to the Philippine Army. Still, its successful sale of the Tiger Mk 2 to the PNP-SAF helps market its products.

This Israeli firm comes publicly traded in various stock exchanges in the United States, such as Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq. The company’s headquarters is at 18 Keren Hayesod street Kiryat Ata PO Box 10656 Haifa, 26119 Israel. 

It means that Shladot’s successful sale of Tiger Mk. 2 armored vehicles to the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force helps not only to improve its stock position but also enables the company to cement its foothold further within the Philippine defense market.

As the research conducted did not successfully get additional information regarding the company’s history and development, there are some relevant details regarding its transactional performance, such as the successful sale of the David Armored Vehicle to the Israel Defense Force that it has become their own mainstay armored vehicle to protect its troops from immediate threats. The next phase of the discussion will now delve into the Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle and its specifications.

SPECIFICATIONS

Tiger Mk. 2's specifications. From Shladot's Brochure.

In delving the specifications of a vehicle further in deep detail gives the additional and substantiated understanding about its capabilities, along with its advantages and disadvantages that it possess as compared to other armored vehicles that the Philippine National Police Special Action Force currently has, along with the other units currently serving the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marine Corps, as this discussion about the Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle rolls on.

According to this brochure presented by Shladot, the primary derivative on the Tiger Mk. 2 design is with its chassis, of which it is likely derived from Dodge and Ford off-road truck components, specifically the Ford F550 or the Dodge 5.7 pickup chassis, along with 380 horsepower engine. Aside from the chassis, the armor of the Tiger Mk. 2 design comes with STANAG 4569 Level III protection, whereby it can protect the troops inside from 7.62x51mm armor-piercing rounds.

Referring once again to the presented brochure, the Shladot MDT Tiger Mk. 2 comes with three variants, of which it specifies according to the armored vehicle's length and the troop capacity that each size might have come up with. As for the sizes, these are the 5000mm, 5400mm, and the full 6200mm. 

All the three variants of different length still share similarities, with the vehicle's width at around 2420mm, and an overall height of 2400mm with five doors, two each on both left and right parts and one on the rear.

Based on the images provided for the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force’s Tiger Mk 2 armored personnel carrier, the variant that the law enforcement agency’s special unit currently operates is the full 6200mm variant. This means that PNP-SAF affords to carry and protect additional personnel in crucially conducted mission objectives that the elite force partake in, basically availing the best variant that Shladot MDT comes in offering on its product line.

Going further, the vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight comes at 8,800 kilograms or 8.8 tons, with the maximum number of passengers allowable for the largest variant of the Tiger Mk 2 armored personnel carrier comes at 12 personnel. 

Another factor to play aside from the vehicle’s weight is the transmission, which, while the engine horsepower comes at 350-380hp, it has a torque of 827 and an automatic transmission, ensuring the driver’s continuous focus on the road and the operations at hand.

The Shladot MDT Tiger Mk 2 armored personnel carrier comes with two configurations, one of which is the troop carrier setup and the other being the command vehicle, with the first one having maximized seating comfort and wide space, especially in the vehicle’s rear part, for battle-ready elite troops of the Special Action Force to get deployed in operations. The command vehicle has the optional system components onboard, specifically to provide a platform to coordinate troops during active mission objectives.

This platform count as the recent and newest acquisition project that the Philippine National Police has on the armored vehicle category, with its Special Action Force units having experience in operating and deploying armored personnel carriers before, using an iconic armored vehicle that can trace back when the organization was still the Philippine Constabulary, a gendarmerie-oriented service branch within the Armed Forces of the Philippines equaled to the Army, Air Force, and Navy today.

COMPARING TO PNP-SAF'S V-150 CADILLAC GAGE COMMANDO APC

The Philippine National Police Special Action Force also maintains V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando APC in service.
Image Source.

Aside from the Shladot MDT Tiger Mk 2 Armored Personnel Carrier or APC that the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force has as the newest platform in its fleet of armored vehicles, it also comes with other type of armored personnel carriers that it operate through the years before the entry of this Israeli-built armored vehicle into operation. This refers to the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando APC, a legendary APC that both the PNP-SAF and the Armed Forces of the Philippines operate.

As an iconic armored personnel carrier developed by US-based company Cadillac Gage in the late 1960s and first entered service ever since the early 1970s, the V-150 Commando Armored Personnel Carrier has seen wide use by multiple military users across the globe, which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines within the Southeast Asia region. Saudi Arabia and Taiwan are among the largest users of the type, with 1,100 and 300 units, respectively.

The V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando is simply just one out of multiple variants of the armored personnel carriers or ‘light armored vehicles’ as what it is its official designation, with the others being the V-100 and V-200 armored personnel carriers, along with the likes of the LAV-300 infantry fighting vehicles that the Philippine Marine Corps still operate today. The numbers mentioned reflect the commonality of having this armored personnel carrier used among the militaries that use this platform.

For context, the specifications of the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando that both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force have comes with the following information, with the armored vehicle’s dimensions coming at 5.69 meter long armored hull, 2.26 meters width, 1.98 meters high to the hull top, and 2.54 meters high to the turret roof. It has the weight of 9.89 tons, and the capacity of carrying three (3) crew plus two (2) passenger troops onboard.

Going further to the specifications, the V-150’s propulsion system comes with the Cummins V-504 V8 diesel engine that powers the vehicle’s mobility and onboard electrical suites, with the power output of the engine of 202 horsepower at 3,300rpm. 

This gives the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando its mobility performance with its top speed of around 88 kilometers per hour on road and 5 kilometers per hour afloat. The vehicle’s power to weight ratio is at 20.4 hp/t or horsepower per ton.

In a full comparison, this means that the Shladot MDT Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle that the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force receives come as a larger hull platform with a larger space that can accommodate additional personnel onboard, as compared to the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando Armored Personnel Carriers that it currently have. However, the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando typically comes with its own gun turret that is useful for firepower support needed by ground personnel.

This means that both platforms have presented its own advantages and disadvantages to the mission requirements of the Special Action Force, whereby one type of vehicle showcases its firepower capabilities in supporting the provided mission objectives, while the other provides sufficient protection for a bulk of personnel deployed, especially when done in transit as it ensures that the personnel inside an armored vehicle has sufficient safety against any untoward threats like an ambush.

IN A FINAL NOTE

Here is an image of the troops belonging to the Special Action Force doing a march during an event.
Image Source.

The Philippine National Police - Special Action Force’s newest asset like the Shladot MDT Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Vehicle come as a welcoming improvement for the national police’s special unit, especially when it comes into adding protection and safety for its troops during transportation, and also coming as an essential, yet important support element for its operations. Going further, the platform serves as an important complement to the existing armored vehicle assets like the V-150 Cadillac Gage Commando APC. 

As for Shladot MDT as a company, the sale of its armored vehicle to the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force enables it to get within the country’s own defense market, in an essence that it gets along with other compatriot peers that have their respective projects with other government bodies such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines under the Department of National Defense. This refers to the likes of Elbit Systems and Rafael Advanced Systems Limited, bagging contracts from the Philippine military.

The Tiger Mk. 2’s entry to the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force is reminiscent to how the likes of the VBTP-MR Guarani 6x6 Armored Personnel Carriers are for the Philippine Army, both of which count as an improvement for each uniform agency’s capacity improvement efforts, particularly coming as part of ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of the organization’s troops in battle readiness and ensuring the concrete role of logistics and support services in the field operations.

Shaldot MDT's prior experience in its sale of David Armored Vehicles to the Israel Defense Force reflects much in its growth and reputation as a company that sells such type of products, so much that its sale of the Tiger Mk. 2 Armored Personnel Carriers to the Philippine National Police's Special Action Force further improves not only on its sales numbers but also in providing a seed in cementing itself within the country's market for armored vehicles.

With the capacity of carrying 12 personnel onboard, along with the fact that the Philippine National Police purchased at least six (6) units of its type for the Special Action Force, enabled the law enforcement agency to increase its troop armored capacity into protecting and securing at least seventy-six (76) personnel onboard, of which includes the crew that drives and manages the guns onboard the platform. Still, this is far less than the larger number of V-150 Commandos the agency has in time.

Given the number of Tiger Mk. 2 armored vehicle purchased and currently used by the Philippine National Police - Special Action Force, there is a room for any future orders for this type of armored vehicle, provided that it satisfy the law enforcement agency's requirements and slated plans in the upcoming years, if not decades. Still, its entry and current operations help partake the daily operational requirements of the Philippine National Police in an increased security point of view.

As the Philippine National Police's primary special unit also playing a crucial role that aligns that with the discussions regarding Philippine national defense initiatives, its capacity-building advances provides a significant contribution in securing the country, particularly on its domestic security affairs, of which it underscores its role on a greater deterrence approach of the country especially now that the Armed Forces of the Philippines itself embarks more into territorial defense posture.

(c) 2024 PDA.

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A Lesson on Interior Guard Duties

This is basically a short piece that points to the set of protocols and policies that military and uniform personnel or MUPs typically follow, particularly in steps ensuring the security and welfare of the personnel inside and outside of the military outpost or premises. The steps provided provides substantiated discussion among the cadets undertaking basic Reservist Officers Training Corps or ROTC or by trainees in a boot camp, as this thought instilled by instructors and tactical officers.

OVERVIEW

Source: 911 Omission Report Site

The discussion and knowledge pertaining to the Interior Guard Duties plays a crucial role in daily military and uniform related operations that each personnel needs to adhere and strictly observe when on duty. 

There were four parts of discussion, naming:

- Definition of Terms

- Procedures for Challenging and Replying a Password

- Duties and Responsibilities of Guards

- 11 General Orders

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Now, let us understand the following terms given in a list below. Several terms in this presentation are actually personnel roles, particularly delegated by a ranking official following the chain of command.

INTERIOR GUARD 

 - Interior Guard is detailed by the Commanders of all military installations to preserve order, protect property, and enforce military regulations.

COMMANDING OFFICER

 - The Officer Commanding an installation, garrison or bivouac. 

OFFICER OF THE DAY 

 - An officer acting directly under the commanding officer who is responsible on a given day for the execution of all orders of the commanding officer relating to interior guard duty and other duties as may be assigned.

COMMANDER OF THE GUARD

- The senior officer or Non-commissioned officer (NCO) who is responsible for the instruction, discipline, and performance of duty of the guards.  He is the member of the guard next junior to the Officer of the Day.

SERGEANT OF THE GUARD

 - The Non-commissioned officer of the guard.  He supervises the enlisted members of the guard and is responsible to the Commander of the Guard for the execution of all orders related to guard duty.

CONFINEMENT OFFICER

- A military police officer assigned to a stockade and charge with the security, administration, care, and custody of all prisons confined in the local stockade or hospital prisoner ward.

GUARDHOUSE

-  A building occupied by men detailed for interior guard duty.  It might include guard tent or any other designated location for the headquarters of the guard.  

CHALLENGE

-  The command “HALT… WHO GOES THERE?”  is used to cause an unidentified party or person to halt and to be identified. 

If secret challenge is used, it follows the original challenge and consists of a word or distinctive sound.

PASSWORD

-  A word or distinctive sound used to answer a challenge, identifies the person or party desiring to enter or pass and is always secret.

COUNTERSIGN

-  A countersign consists of a secret challenge and a password.  The words comprising the countersign are issued from the principal headquarters of a command to aid guards and sentinels in their scrutiny of person who apply to pass the lines.

RELIEF

-  The procedure whereby members of the post is relieved and members is posted in his place.

RELIEVED

- To direct any members of the guard to cease performance of duty.

WATCH

- A period of time during which member of the guard performed the prescribed duties beginning where he is posted and terminated his duties.

STOCKADE

- A confinement facility under the jurisdiction of an instillation commander used for the confinement of military persons.  

PROCEDURE FOR CHALLENGING AND REPLYING A PASSWORD

The following examples will help understand the function of a security procedure, particularly in an event when there is an active conflict or a critical red alert status gets issued by the leadership.

CHALLENGING ONE PERSON

A.)    To a person about to enter his post:

    G -  “HALT WHO GOES THERE”

  Halt immediately and answers:

  PC -  “TSG RAMOS, THE OPERATION NCO”

B.)  Sentry orders the person forward

  G - “ADVANCE, TSG RAMOS TO

     BE RECOGNIZED”

  PC - advance without replying.

C.) When a person close enough to be identified. 

    The Sentry commands:

 

  G - “HALT” (He does not recognized TSG RAMOS)

   

  PC - halt and wait for further instruction.

D.)  Password and Countersign

  G - challenge with password

  PC - will give the reply in low voice.

E.) The Sentry has identified the person,

  he will permit him to proceed.

       

  G - “PASS SIR”

  PC - proceed when told to proceed.

CHALLENGING A GROUP SENTRY

A.) To a group of person about to   enter his post:

  G-    “HALT, WHO GOES THERE”

  Group will immediately halt and the most senior will   answer:

      GC  -    “LT MORE WITH MTI’S”

B.)  Sentry will order the Senior forward:

  G - “ADVANCE LT MORE TO BE RECOGNIZED”

  GC - Person who reply will advance  

C.) When LT MORE is close enough   to be identified, sentry will   command:

    G - “ADVANCE THE PATROL TO BE

  RECOGNIZED”

  Patrol will come forward then direct  to be identified by

  GC - “LT MORE AND MTI’S WILL PASS THROUGH THE POST”.

D.)  Password and Countersign

  G - challenge with password

  PC - will give the reply in low voice.

E.)  The Sentry has identified the Group,

  he will permit to proceed.

  G – “PASS SIR”

  GC – Proceed when told to proceed

Sergeant of the Guard - SOG

- Supervises the non-commissioned officer of the guard.

- Responsible for the posting of relief at proper time.

- Responsible for the cleanliness of the guard house and its surroundings.

- Forms the guard in case of emergency.

Corporal of the Guard - COG

- Assigns members if the guard to their post.

- Reports to the sergeant of the guard all violations of orders and unusual incidents.

- Posts himself at the guard house.

- Awakens the next relief on time of relieving.

- Examine persons halted or determined by sentinels.

Sentinels

- Memorize, understand, and complied with the general orders.

- Memorize, understand, and complied with the special orders.

ELEVEN (11) GENERAL ORDERS

1. To take charge of this post and all government property in view.

2. To walk my post in a military manner keeping always on the alert and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing.

3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce.

4. To repeat all calls from post more distant from the guardhouse than my own.

5. To quit my post only when properly relieved.

6. To receive, obey and pass on to the sentinel who relieves me all orders from the commanding officer, officer of the day, and non-commissioned officers of the guard only.

7. To talk to no one except in line of duty.

8. To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder.

9. To call the corporal of the guardian in any case not covered by instruction.

10. To salute all officers and all colors and standard not cased.

11. To be specially watchful at night and during the time of challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post to allow no one to pass without proper authority.

SPECIAL ORDERS

- Orders promulgated by the commanding officers which prescribe the special duties for main and special guards.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

Interior Guard Duty presentation as downloaded PDF pointed below.

IN SUMMARY 

The protocols presented are a crucial necessity of rules, procedures, guidelines, and standards that military and uniformed personnel need to observe and follow, ensuring that the security of a military facility, let alone a conduct of active mission objectives and operations, will never get compromised.

Going further, the presented protocols and standards require strict implementation by both officers and enlisted personnel, particularly in handling highly classified and sensitive documents, along with other critical matters or activities dealing to the country's national security status. Thus, it ensures the military and other relevant defense agencies, like the coast guard, upholding its mandate to secure the sovereignty and interest of the citizenry. 

Ultimately, this relates to operational security practices that a personnel adhere, ending with an adage that comes in line with this topic and also on how essential Operational Security or OPSEC is: Loose lips sink ships.

This article comes posted first on Pitzviews Learning, dated June 2016.

(c) 2024 PDA.

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