Indo-Pacific's First - Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System in the Philippines

Discussions regarding the Philippine defense always come at the limits of only covering the aspects of the recent armaments of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, whereby it is highly justified as it is always at the Philippine military's mandate in defending the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

But that does not mean dismissing the efforts made by the alliance-at-large, particularly the treaty ally the United States military, as they deployed a geopolitically altering platform in the country that bolsters not only that of the alliance but also the efforts made by both countries in ensuring order in the Indo-Pacific region.

AS DESCRIBED IN THE HEADLINES

A single battery of Typhon MRC composes of four (4) launchers and a command post.
Image Source.

The bilateral relations of both the Philippines and the United States has becoming stronger than ever since the former’s independence from the latter in 1946 and subsequently the forging of the Mutual Defense Treaty in 1951, whereby there is a renewed share of national interest in ensuring the defense and security in the region remains at a status quo, the one that has constantly under challenge by a regional power like China in both the West Philippine Sea and Taiwan.

This strong bilateral relation between both countries in terms of national security gets exhibited further with the United States Army’s first deployment of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System in the Philippines, a platform that has the capability of firing the Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 anti-ballistic missile (with anti-ship capabilities being the secondary role) that took place on April 2024 as part of the year’s Joint Exercise Salaknib between both countries’ respective armies.

Both the armies from the Philippines and the United States see this as a milestone for the both nation’s strong ties, emphasizing the coordination and interoperability between both countries’ armed forces in terms of both countries’ readiness for defense capabilities, while it provide some dual points in both the geopolitical implication of this deployment in the region while providing the Philippines some added deterrence aside from the ones it purchased under the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

However, this welcoming development does not guarantee for a permanent presence of the advanced Mid-Range Capability Missile System platforms like the Typhon MRC in the country, as prolonged deployment of the system is not in the plans of the United States Armed Forces at the moment the system deployment released in the news is not in the plans of the United States Armed Forces at the moment the system deployment released in the news, although it might mean that it has the chance of getting redeployed again, at the discretion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines just like the current arrangement on EDCA bases.

Despite the lack of guarantees, the capabilities possessed by the mid-range capability missile system deployed by the United States Army come not only as a symbolic strengthening of defense ties between both countries forged by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, but also showcasing of how this capability impact the balance of power in the region, which strengthens not only the defense capabilities of the Philippines but also effectively restricts movement of the regional aggressor within the first island chain.

As this is the first for the Philippines to host such an advanced missile system in a bilateral exercise, discussing it comes with the relevance that it affects the country’s defense posture, even though this capability is not generic to the Armed Forces of the Philippines but deployed rather by the current global superpower and ally of the country that sees concern to the increasing assertiveness of countries like China in the region. That alone suffices the points that are about to discuss in this entry.

For this topic, things will continuously delve into the usual details, such as the origin of the platform’s development and the specifications provided for both the launcher and the munitions presented. Also, the discussion also delves into the comprehensive details surrounding its implication not only to the overall defense posture of the Philippines but also regarding the resolve of mounting sufficient deterrence meant for opposition forces or OPFOR to have second thoughts before conducting any adventurous activities.

WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT

A Typhon MRC Launcher in full deployment mode.
Image Source.

The inception of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Missile System of the United States Army served as a testament to the United States’ continuous technological advancement, revolutionizing the use of existing technology into new types of configurations and capabilities that has now enabled the country to flex and deploy into the Philippines. This platform, among others, counts as an essential component to ensure the security and stability for countries along the first island chain.

The existing technology that is referring here primarily focuses on the munitions that the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System is capable of, such as the Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles, with the missile system battery only the new ones developed from this standpoint. 

Inception and development of a mid-range capable missile system concept for the United States Armed Forces started when the U.S. government, under President Trump in 2019, announced the country’s exit from the INF treaty.

From 2019, the first prototype of the Typhon MRCs has a deadline for the United States Army to evaluate and to get fielded within the year 2023, of which this gets ultimately achieved when Lockheed Martin did the delivery a year earlier, dated December 2022. 

And since then, it took the United States Army a year and several months for the newest strategic missile platform to get deployed in the Indo-Pacific region, specifically to the Philippines under the joint bilateral exercise Salaknib 2024.

Under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force or INF treaty, countries like the United States agreed not to develop and field ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 kilometers and 5,500 kilometers. With the restrictions removed, the United States Army now has an impetus to develop this new capability, designed both as a power projection and as a deterrent against a foreign adversary that agitates and attempts into tipping the balance of power in the region, challenging the current status quo.

The early delivery made by Lockheed Martin to the United States Army relating to the Typhon MRC platform exhibited the quick deployment and technological advancement of the organization, especially since the country’s departure from the agreed Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force or INF treaty in 2019 that other countries like Russia followed suit. Hence, this tit for tat reaction between both signatories of the treaty becomes more justified as Russia becomes an aggressor state of the modern time.

One important factor played in the development of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System is the compatibility it has with other components across the United States Armed Forces, especially with its Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missile munitions. 

This is in line with what its developer Lockheed Martin comes in mind, as it uses technology that is originally operated by the United States Navy, such as the Aegis command-and-control functions and the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System.

As this technology now playing a significant factor in providing not only the territorial defense of the Philippines as the United States deploys it under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA but also the power projection it has with the capability of reaching Chinese targets from Luzon, the deployment of these sophisticated platforms in the country cannot help but get noticed by both China and Russia, two countries sought to push their own interest in expanding their respective domains.

GEOPOLITICAL IMPLICATIONS

The Typhon MRC platform has also got deployed in Denmark, near the Baltics.
United States Navy, via Image Source.

The deployment of the United States Army’s Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile comes both as an offensive and defensive weaponry, as the Philippines come with an effective deterrence under its umbrella courtesy of the bilateral alliance between both countries bond by the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, but also serve as a weapon that is capable to strike well within China’s own territory. 

A missile deployment makes them more worried than just being paranoid over added Philippine Coast Guard vessels on Escoda Shoal.

It is in this deployment that China, and even Russia, becomes vocal in their usual rhetoric against the United States regarding the ever-increasing tensions in the state of world affairs. 

For example, the recent fear-mongering pulled by a Philippine Senator on China’s use of hypersonic missiles to target Philippine critical infrastructure is not surprising and is likely expected, as the Armed Forces might take any consideration in employing countermeasures against such theoretical attack, with the help of its alliance with the U.S.

Apparently, the offensive measure of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) platform of the United States Army prompted the withdrawal of such a platform from the Philippines by September 2024. 

While the platform gets pulled out, it is necessary to point out that the platform’s deployment primarily intends to train troops belonging to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to operate and maintain such a system, in a manner similar to other weaponry that the United States fielded under Salaknib and Balikatan Exercises.

The training provided to the Philippine Army troops came at a significant development of the skills and expertise partake by their counterparts from the United States Army during both the Salaknib and Balikatan 2024 exercises, whereby it is the first time that the latter provides training to the troops belonging to the country that did not posses such systems, nor being part of the Missile Treaty Control Regime or MTCR membership that currently compose of thirty-five (35) members.

As the tensions get intensified and the Typhon MRC batteries apparently leaving the country, this does not mean that it might not have a return at the following year, as there is the likelihood that such a similar system gets redeployed as part of the bilateral exercise between both the Philippine and United States Armed Forces, not to mention that both countries enjoyed stronger defense and security ties, of which these are currently on 'hyper-drive'.

Then, after the initial announcement of the 'pull-out' of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability (MRC) platform from the Philippines, another announcement came out that directly contradicts the previous report, saying that the United States Army will not pull the systems out of the country. Instead, it clarifies that the systems deployed will never pull out until the requirements to train Philippine Army troops under the Exercise Salaknib have met. 

From the developments unfolded, it is not surprising that the Typhon MRC deployed in the Philippines has caused an uproar to the most typical of adversaries in the region and across the globe, particularly the countries of both Russia and China. 

Still, the deployment of these systems in the country count as a welcoming development in the Philippine's point of view regarding its defense and security situation, likely sending an indirect message on a hegemon's ongoing aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

SPECIFICATIONS

This is the prospective range of a Typhon MRC-deployed missile systems across selected areas in the Indo-Pacific.
Image Source.

The capability that the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System possesses is what makes countries like Russia and China more concerned, that it resulted in the geographical implications as the discussions get along in this article. 

And with this capability, this portion will delve further into the details, providing an insight into what the newest missile system employed by the United States is capable of, in both offensive and defensive aspects of its usage in deployment.

Typhon MRC missile system’s capability in terms of range is primarily determined by the type of missile munition it loads with, in a manner similar to how the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System onboard ships come with in terms of missile load-out. 

This means that the portion of this discussion will delve more on the munitions that the Typhon MRC missile system is likely to get in terms of load-out, which is between the Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 ballistic missile defense munitions.

First to discuss is with the Tomahawk cruise missiles used by the Typhon MRC missile system on its load-out configuration. The variant that this system uses is the Tomahawk Block V cruise missiles, with a length of 5.6meter overall, a weight of 2,200 kilograms, and a maximum range of 1,850 kilometers. 

Converting the maximum range to a more comprehensible distance of 998.92 nautical miles for this discussion, things are clear that it goes beyond the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone and the MTCR limitations.

Going back to the discussions regarding the Missile Treaty Control Regime or MTCR, the limitations set for exports of long-range rocket and missile munitions, whereby the weight of the transferred munitions will not exceed 500 kilograms, and does not have a range beyond 300 kilometers. This is also the reason regarding the Philippine Navy’s BrahMos missile only having a maximum range of around 290-300 kilometers, as this complies with the objectives of the MTCR.

The other munition mentioned is the Standard SM-6  Block IU, an anti-ballistic missile platform as developed by Raytheon, and expects to enter active service within the United States Armed Forces by 2028. 

Aside from the Block IU variant of the Standard SM-6, the other variants of this said missile also come applicable to the load-out configuration of the Typhon MRC missile system platform, in a manner similar to how load-outs have done with the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System onboard United States Navy ships.

For the conventional Standard SM-6 terminal ballistic missile defense countermeasure that is capable of both anti-air and anti-ship missile roles, the specification comes with the missile having a length of 6.55 meters and a range of 370 kilometers. 

As for the Typhon MRC missile system, it comes with four (4) launching platforms and one (1) command vehicle, with each launcher having four (4) cells, capable of firing at least sixteen (16) missiles per battery.

Overall, the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System is basically a land-based variant of the naval-based Mark 41 Vertical Launch System, whereby its deployment in areas like the Philippines is basically just like how the United States Navy's Arleigh Burke-class Destroyers deployed occasionally in Philippine ports like in Subic, with the only difference is that the Typhon MRC's lengthened assignment in Philippine bases gives deterrence on the country's own defense, while making China worry more.

ENDING NOTE

Typhon MRCs get loaded in a way similar to missile canisters to load a Mk 41 Vertical Launch System.
Image Source.

The inception and development of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System becomes strategic in its usage and nature, whereby competing countries like China and Russia sees this as an existential threat that it prompted these countries either to develop their own systems or to resort into fear-mongering tactics just to remove this threat from ever getting deployed in a strategic area on a prolonged time. This is precisely the case with the deployment of the Typhon MRC in the Philippines.

As the Typhon MRC platform actively deployed in the country and the troops belonging to the Philippine Army learning its operational and maintenance-related requirements, it also comes with the skill-set that their counterparts in the Philippine Navy might need to take note, as the Typhon MRC missile system comes basically as the land-based version of the Mark 41 VLS typically deployed on United States Navy ships. In context, the Philippine Navy will have its own VLS system on the upcoming Miguel Malvar-class frigate.

The United States Army’s possession of a sophisticated, long-range missile system such as the Typhon MRC platform comes as a significant development in terms of power projection, especially that the country has since left the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty or INF treaty. 

Going further, its deployment in the Philippines provides the much-needed deterrence the country needs, while acting as a double-edged sword that gives an adversarial power like China the justification of getting the country as a target.

Despite the escalatory risk that is associative to the deployment of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System in the Philippines in terms of any retaliatory measures in an event of conflict, it also gives an assurance that is firmly cemented on the strong bilateral defense relations between the Philippines and the United States, especially with the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty as its basis. It comes as a bonus to the increase of EDCA sites in the country and the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ ongoing modernization efforts.

In geopolitical essence, the strategic position presented by the Philippines in the grand scheme of things that the United States enabled to deter and worry China at the same time only solidifies the country's role in keeping not only the stability and status quo in the region but also in arguing that being neutral is never an option. 

As the Chinese authorities further push its aggression into the fold, it is not surprising that the Philippines rely on other like-minded countries like the United States for support.

The deployment of the Typhon Mid-Range Capability Missile System is just one of the ongoing development that regards to countering the ever-increasing aggression by an immediate regional neighbor, which also resulted into growing bilateral ties with other countries in the region, such as in the case between the Philippines and Japan in its recent Reciprocal Access Agreement or RAA. And like the Typhon MRC deployment, Japan is ready to help increase Philippine defense by giving AFP the tools it need.

In a final note, it is interesting that the United States Army and the government at-large provide the much-needed support in the Philippine's defense necessities, albeit that the Department of National Defense's Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept or CADC provides the framework for the capacity building of the Philippine Armed Forces. All of which are a complement to another, in which the ultimate aim of this push is to ensure of a guaranteed Free and Open Indo-Pacific.

(c) 2024 PDA.

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Introduction of the New Miguel Malvar-class Frigate of the Philippine Navy

The HDC-3200 Corvettes, once counted as the HDC-3100 Corvettes of the Philippine Navy's Corvette Acquisition Project, has now unveiled with additional information regarding its current development, with now involving a slip-up about the vessel's name, pennant number, and classification type, of which gives a suggestion on its departure from the project name it initially comes with.

THE SHARED OPEN-SOURCE NOTES

The launching of Miguel Malvar (06) took place on 18 June, 2024.
Image Source.

When the first discussion arose regarding the HDC-3100 Corvettes of the HD Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea, as presented to the Philippine Navy's 'Corvette' Acquisition Project, the defense community clearly sees the semblance of the vessels as an improvement of the Jose Rizal-class Frigates or the HDF-2600 design, of which it often comes with a monicker such as the Jose Rizal-class Frigates Flight II, even though that it presented initially as a design for the Philippine Navy Corvette Requirements.

As initially discussed, the classification of the HDC-3100, now eventually renamed to HDC-3200 Corvettes clearly comes as such based on the acquisition project it based on as provided by the Philippine Navy, until an image shared on open-source channels, with a description showing all the badges belonging to the Philippine Navy's Offshore Combat Force or OCF, as part of the unit's 36th Founding Anniversary. The following information unveils the additional details on the HDC/HDF-3200 warships.

In this post shared by Keen Sentinel dated June 4, 2024 on X (formerly Twitter), it unveiled the new names, pennant numbers, and classification of vessels of what it seems to be two (2) brand new Philippine Navy ships, suggesting that it only points to a single acquisition project that has this description, which are the vessels produced under the 'Corvette' Acquisition Project. The new badges that have presented come with the following names: BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06), and BRP Diego Silang (FF-07). 

It highlighted three things from this post, of which, first, the names provided have originated from warships served by the Philippine Navy in the past, which then decommissioned from active duty, only with these names getting reused once more for its use in the newer upcoming vessels in the Offshore Combat Forces' fleet, second is the new pennant numbers provided, which itself is a departure from the numerical sequence of the Jose Rizal-class Frigates, and, of course, the classification of the vessels.

For this topic, the discussion will delve more into the details regarding this development, as it provides a comprehensive detail regarding the names of the vessels and the previous vessels that bear such name, along with other details regarding the change on the pennant number sequencing, the reclassification of the vessels from 'Corvettes' to 'Frigates' based on the badges provided, and this implication to the future naval acquisition projects of the Philippine Navy.

THE RECLASSIFICATION

Two (2) new badges presented in the Offshore Patrol Vessel's roster
Image from Octaviano Enterprises, shared by Keen Sentinel on X.

The first thing noticeable from the presented badges is the classification of the new vessels, bearing the 'FF' classification, based on the current naming and classification standards of the Philippine Navy. In contrast, the naming and classification for any future Philippine Navy Corvettes will come with the 'PS', which is similarly go with the Philippine Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessels or OPVs it currently possess, such as the Jacinto-class Patrol Vessels and the Del Pilar-class Patrol Vessels.

In the previous discussion done on this website regarding the difference between a Frigate and a Corvette, the discussion goes in a way that one country's corvette is another country's frigate, and there is no formal distinction on which is which, unless if this comes to the perspective limited to the classification presented by the Philippine Navy whether that ship is a Corvette or a Frigate. It is not surprising for the HDF-3200 to get reclassified as a frigate, given its tonnage and capabilities.

Speaking of tonnage and capabilities, the Jose Rizal-class Frigates do come with the tonnage of at least 2,600 tonnes as it is based from the HDF-2600 design, and its capabilities currently comes with at least four (4) C-Star missile cannisters installed onboard and a future space for an eight (8)-cell Vertical Launching System or VLS. The HDF-3200 Frigates will have sixteen (16)-cell Vertical Launching System with a space for additional VLS suites, and eight (8) C-star missile cannisters from the get go.

As the HDC-3200/HDF-3200 Frigates being heavier and more capable than the Jose Rizal-class Frigates, it might not be that surprising if it gets the 'Frigate' classification eventually, as it likely be the most capable naval assets that the Philippine Navy will get once these vessels entered active service within the Offshore Combat Force, unless otherwise the leadership within the naval service branch purchase more-capable naval assets in the future.

If the planners decide to add more HDC-3200 'Corvettes' in the future under a similarly named acquisition project in the future, it will not be surprising if this gets reclassified into a frigate down the road, if the badges provided comes at its face value as the Philippine Navy leadership at some point might change any of the details presented, from the name of the vessels to the pennant numbers and the reclassification of the vessels.

BRP MIGUEL MALVAR (FF-06)

The old ship that bears BRP Miguel Malvar (PS19) has already decommissioned from service in 2021.
From Max Montero, X (formerly Twitter).

Reusing the names for new warships upon decommissioning the old ones comes commonly not only within the Philippine Navy, but with other navies as well, as it comes in the history that the service branch reuses the name of the country's national heroes each time there is an acquisition of naval asset takes place. This is the case for the BRP Andres Bonifacio (PF-7), BRP Conrado Yap (PG-840), BRP Tarlac (LT-500), and some other examples that can get added in the list.

For the BRP Miguel Malvar, the name has once associated more on the Second World-War era PCE-848 rescue patrol craft USS Brattleboro (PCE-852), a vessel that once served in the United States Navy, then turned over to the South Vietnamese Navy until it has transferred to the Philippine Navy after the remnants of once-existed South Vietnam flee their country after the fall of Saigon to the Northern Vietnamese forces that formed what is now called the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The vessel, since its first entry into service during the final months of the Second World War in 1944 as the USS Brattleboro until it got decommissioned from active duty within the Philippine Navy in December 2021 as the BRP Miguel Malvar, has served at least seventy-seven (77) years, with forty-six (46) years of its serviceable life served primarily to the latter. It defined the fleet condition of the Philippine fleet, which eventually gets better with the entry of newer, more capable naval assets.

Like the successor ship BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06), the old BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19) was also the lead ship of its class of ex-PCE-848 rescue patrol craft, of which it compose of other vessels such as the BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20), BRP Sultan Kuldarat (PS-22), BRP Datu Marikudo (PS-23), and several others more not mentioned in this entry. Capabilities wise, there is a huge leap from the old, World War 2-era rescue patrol craft and the modern, multipurpose frigate, especially in size, endurance, and firepower.

In a backstory, its namesake, Miguel Malvar, was a Philippine revolutionary general that both fought against the Spanish and American forces during the revolution for the Philippines and the Philippine-American war that came after it. 

The revolutionary skirmishes that the general have involved inflicted damage to both the colonial forces aforementioned, so much that the legacy of Miguel Malvar as a national hero found its way into the prestige of having his name used on military assets like what the navy has.

At the time this article has published, the BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06) has already launched into water without fanfare or celebrative atmosphere from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense. 

Instead, the vessel is getting its subcomponents installed onboard, with the most notable one being its Close-In Weapons System or CIWS. Apparently, the CIWS platform resembles that of the Turkish ASELSAN Gokdeniz CIWS.

As the updates of the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates in terms of subcomponents deserve its own discussion, the glimpse of what's to come for the future of the Philippine Navy's upcoming most capable warships is the promising one to date. 

This comes as the next vessel after the BRP Miguel Malvar has also its name once used on a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship, but this time, it referred to what was once the most capable vessels of the fleet before the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

BRP DIEGO SILANG (FF-07)

The BRP Andres Bonifacio (PF-7) stands as a sistership of BRP Diego Silang (PF-9), belonging to the once-mighty Andres Bonifacio-class Frigates. 
Image Source.

Like the BRP Miguel Malvar, the name carrying the BRP Diego Silang has also seen its usage from a previous Philippine Navy ship. Notably, its first use is with a Barnegat-class Seaplane Tender, which subsequently became the Andres Bonifacio-class Frigates of the Philippine Navy's yesteryears. 

Having a length of 311'8 feet or 95.04 meters and a beam of 41'1 feet or 12.53 meters, it was among the largest and most advanced naval asset of the Philippine Navy during its time.

BRP Diego Silang (PF-9) was once the USS Bering Strait (AVP-34), of which it has several accolades bearing to its name as it performed during the Second World War, most notably regarding rescuing the crews of B-29 Superfortress bombers that have conducted bombing runs in Japan, most notably in the Capital City of Tokyo. Like the BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-20), the BRP Diego Silang also served in the South Vietnamese Navy as the Tran Quang Khai (HQ-15).

This means that the usage of the name BRP Diego Silang on the Philippine Navy's newest and most sophisticated naval asset to-day simply befits from what it was before as a dedicated Philippine Navy frigate, of which the continuous nomenclature gives a succession that symbolizes the improvement of the fleet in getting the most modern platform it deserves presently. And like the BRP Miguel Malvar, the names used have given to the newest, purpose-built ships that the Philippine Navy has to-date.

Even before it turned-over to a foreign navy like the South Vietnamese Navy and eventually the Philippine Navy, the USS Bering Strait (AVP-34) was a United States Coast Guard vessel, bearing the same name but with nomenclature being the USCGC Bering Strait (WAVP-382), or (WHEC-382). It served the service from December 1948 until its transfer to the South Vietnamese Navy in 1971, then in the Philippine Navy from 1975 to 1985 after the capitulation of South Vietnam to the North Vietnamese forces.

Given the figures, this means that the vessel served most of its life as a United States Coast Guard Cutter for 22 years, while it spend only four (4) years in the South Vietnamese Navy, ten (10) years in the Philippine Navy until decommissioned in 1985, and its short stint during the Second World War as a seaplane tender. 

In context, the ex-USCGC Hamilton (WHEC-715), now BRP Gregorio Del Pilar (PS-15), has served beyond ten years since its commissioning in 2011 by the time this article has published.

As it was of the BRP Miguel Malvar's namesake, Diego Silang was also a Philippine revolutionary that attempts to overthrow Spanish rule from the country, albeit that the latter's revolutionary action took place way before the actual Philippine revolution of the late 1890s to early 1900s. 

His revolution took place at the time that Spain and Great Britain has involved into the greater conflict called 'The Seven-Years War', when the latter seized Manila in a short amount of time, until it returned to the Spanish at the conclusion of the conflict.

Both the names Miguel Malvar and Diego Silang used on Philippine Navy warships for a second time now, with the new frigates that are once classified as HDC-3100 Corvettes before its current designation carrying the names of Filipino revolutionaries, symbolizing the continuous resolve in securing the country's territorial and exclusive economic zone waters, along with ensuring the national security and interest of the Filipino citizenry coming as a primary and utmost priority.

UPDATES

Updated infographic that reflect the specific subsystems fitted on the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates to date.

Since the last information has provided to the initial subcomponents of what will be the HDC-3200 Corvette design that is now re-categorized as the Miguel Malvar-class frigate on the previous article entry specifically for this discussion, additional details have now warranted for the infographic shown above to get its necessary update that reflects accordingly to the actual subsystems that the frigates received, based on the data accumulated up to the time this article has published.

First to point out is that there is finally a specific 3D AESA model and is not just simply a product from Israel Aerospace Industries or IAI, whereby the radar provided is the EL/M 2258 ALPHA S-band 3D active electronically scanned array or AESA radar, of which its target detection range is at 200 kilometers for the basic version, and 400 kilometers for the extended version. This enables the frigates to have the capability of scanning the airspace surrounding its position from incoming threats.

Still unchanged is the MBDA VL-MICA anti-air missile system, whereby vertical launch system or VLS suites and missile munitions come in tandem for this capability. The VLS system remains at sixteen (16) cells, with space for added capabilities that the Philippine Navy leadership desires to install onboard the vessels. 

The base variant of the VL-MICA missile system has the maximum range of 20 kilometers, while the improved VL-MICA NG variant has the maximum range twice as that of the base variant, at 40 kilometers.

Another thing to highlight is both the initial and final subcomponent for the Close-In Weapons System or CIWS of the Miguel Malvar-class Frigate is the Turkish ASELSAN GOKDENIZ CIWS, of which the 35mm double-barrel secondary gun serves as a final line of defense for the vessels against upcoming threats. The GOKDENIZ is actually a CIWS variant of the Turkish Korkut self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system, which is not surprising with the platform's size and shape resembling an armored vehicle turret.

One thing to point out from the infographic provided is that while there is a space intended for the towed-array sonar system (TASS) platform for the Miguel Malvar-class frigate's anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the platform itself come as a Fitted For, but Not With or FFBNW item. Therefore, the Philippine Navy is likely to purchase this suite as a separate item upgradable to this class of warship, with acquisition plans slated under the Re-Horizoned 3 Phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program.

Aside from the newest added capabilities that are relatively new for the Philippine Navy's warship capabilities, the rest may likely come similarly to those of the Jose Rizal-class Frigates already serving in the fleet, such as the SSM-700K C-Star (Haeseong) anti-ship missile system. In context, it is the first time for the Philippine Navy to use the Korean-made anti-ship missile system in a live fire exercise, which took place during the 2024 iteration of the Joint Exercise Balikatan.

With the specifications provided, the Miguel Malvar-class frigate likely count as the most capable Philippine Navy warship in terms of firepower at the time this article has published, although the leadership within the naval service branch and the Department of National Defense has plans in purchasing more-capable naval assets under the Re-Horizon 3 phase, although it remains to see as to the outcome of the plans and programs, along with how does it contribute to the Philippine Navy's fleet improvement process.

HULL NUMBER SEQUENCING

Here is an image of the BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06) frigate in a fitting-out process.
Image Courtesy of LA Bernardino, through image source.

Relating once again to the development of the lead ship of the class, which is BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06), the image provided above shows the frigate now in a fitting-out process, a sign that it has already launched in the water without the public informed about this significant milestone of the Philippine Navy's "Corvette" Acquisition Project. As this development has mentioned, this sub-topic will deal more with the interesting hull number sequencing of the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates.

As depicted by the presented badges intended to the anniversary of the Philippine Navy's Offshore Combat Force or OCF, the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates will follow the hull number sequencing of FF-06 for the BRP Miguel Malvar and FF-07 for the BRP Diego Silang, a clear departure from the continuity of hull number sequencing started by the Jose Rizal-class Frigates. In context, the BRP Jose Rizal bears the hull number FF-150, followed by BRP Antonio Luna with its hull number FF-151.

The last time that this numerical sequencing has used by the Philippine Navy was with the ex-Barnegat class that became the Andres Bonifacio-class Frigates, with the lead ship BRP Andres Bonifacio bearing the hull number classification of PF-7, which continued until the BRP Francisco Dagohoy that bearing the hull number classification of PF-10. This might come as a sign that the Philippine Navy regards the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates in a manner it once regarded the Andres Bonifacio-class before it.

With the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates being more sophisticated than the Jose Rizal-class Frigates that come before it, there is a hope and an idea that at least four (4) more similarly built frigates get into the Philippine Navy's consideration, as this will comply with the naval service branch's rule of three principles. 

This principle encompasses the idea that one ship is in maintenance, the other ship returning from operations, and the third ship from port is preparing to conduct its mission-related operations.

As the classification of hull number sequence is clear for the Miguel Malvar-class Frigates, there is a sense in its premise that the Philippine Navy will regard it as the most sophisticated, general-purpose naval asset that the naval service branch have, as it was when the Andres Bonifacio-class Frigates were the largest and advanced Philippine Navy combatant of its time. And with its sophistication, it deserves to get added with desired numbers that ensure full maintenance and operational status it serves to the fleet.

ENDING NOTE

The HDC/HDF-3200 design.
From Wikimedia Commons.

The Philippine Navy is now inching closer into having its newest, most capable vessel in its fleet yet entering the active duty within the Offshore Combat Force, as the service branch now on its way into receiving newly built vessels such as the Miguel Malvar-class frigates produced by South Korea's HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. Going further, most of its subcomponents come as revolutionary, as the Philippine Navy will get its hands on the vessel's sophisticated systems for the first time.

As the design of the Miguel Malvar-class frigates resembled that of the Jose Rizal-class frigates now serving the Philippine Navy fleet, the vessels, being HDC-3200 in HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' product lineup, come as an improvement over the former, of which it comes as not surprising given that the Jose Rizal-class frigate itself is the end-product of the South Korean shipbuilder's HDF-2600 design, with improvements introduced into what the newest vessels the Philippine Navy has to date.

After the initial reports come out, it came at the confusion of some people regarding the classification of the HDC-3200 Corvettes, of which this originally comes as the Corvette Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy, now bearing the FF designation wherein it counts as a frigate based on the service branch's own naming classification standards. Technicalities aside, as there is a blurry definition of what defines the two, the FF designation provided is clear in how the Philippine Navy categorizes the vessels.

Now that it comes clearer that the new Philippine Navy frigates come with the names BRP Miguel Malvar (FF-06) and BRP Diego Silang (FF-07), it might come as a trend that names from decommissioned vessels likely getting reinstated on the new, upcoming vessels that the naval service branch has in its plans, as the old World War 2-era vessels that the Philippine Navy once have paved the way for the fleet to secure new naval assets, hoping that additional Miguel Malvar-class frigate gets on the planning.

Ending this discussion at the foregoing, the urgent concerns in the country's territorial and exclusive economic zone waters might help provide additional justification not only for the Philippine Navy but also for the other branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to get the plans rolling as the Re-Horizoned 3 phase of the modernization program provides that opportunity to get the more-capable military hardware that each of the branches deserves to get. Si vis pacem, para bellum.

(c) 2024 PDA.

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Discussing the Japanese J/TPS-P14ME Mobile Radar of the Philippine Air Force

The discussion of having air defense capabilities always dwells more on static air defense surveillance radar stations, mobile ground-based air defense system batteries that can fire guided munitions against intruding targets, and air interceptors like light fighter trainer aircraft and multirole fighter jets designed to provide air deterrence and eliminate threats outside the confines of the country's ground-based air defense.

In this topic, a single mobile air defense surveillance radar station gets a discussion, whereby it comes as a package deal along with the static air defense surveillance radars that the Philippine Air Force has purchased and as discussed previously here on this website.

INTRODUCTION - THE TURN-OVER

A set of platforms that comprise the J/TPS-P14ME Radar, installed onboard a Mitsubishi Fuso Truck.
Image from the Philippine Air Force, shared through this link.

In the previous discussions provided regarding air defense systems, the topics encompass from prospective fighter aircraft of both multirole and light fighter/trainer roles, if not for ground-based air defense systems and static air surveillance radar stations that can detect intruding threats from afar, covering a significant portion of the country’s air defense. This development adds to the Philippine Air Force’s mechanism of monitoring the country’s Air Defense Identification Zone or ADIZ.

This refers to the recent turn-over of the Mitsubishi Electric’s J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar platform, as depicted on the image as a single battery of units that form this platform, as it comprises a command platform, the radar itself, and a support vehicle. 

All the units, though, come with the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter trucks as the primary chassis of the presented mobile radar platform, as the chassis also comes with other uses in the country’s own civilian trucking industry.

The turn-over took place on April 29, 2024, in the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, of which this comes with an attendance of both the National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Japan’s state minister of defense Oniki Makoto. This ceremony depicts a significant improvement in the Philippine Air Force’s detection of its airspace, of which it gives the flexibility of having radar coverage on areas not covered by static air surveillance radar stations, yet.

Mitsubishi Electric’s J/TPS-P14ME comes as an offer packaged with the primary acquisition deal with the Philippine Air Force, of which it primarily focuses more on the J/FPS-3ME static air surveillance radar stations as part of the 2nd phase of implementing the air surveillance coverage, which comes as part of enforcing the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone or PADIZ. The first phase primarily comes with ELM-2288 ER air surveillance radar for the air force’s air defense monitoring duties.

For this topic, the discussion will only cover the technology and other components that form the J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar station, along with the salient features that come with having such a platform as compared to static radar stations deployed across the country. 

As the history of Mitsubishi Electric already discussed in the J/FPS-3ME article as linked here, the rest of the discussion will delve primarily into the specifications of the platform and the choice of the truck chassis as presented in the image above.

THE MOBILE RADAR STATION CONCEPT

Mobile, remotely-deployed air surveillance radar stations are just as essential as the more-capable static radar stations such as the J/FPS-3ME radar.
Image Source.

As the Philippine Air Force maintained static radar stations through the years, even before the time that the newer ones from both Israel and Japan have recently entered active duty within the service branch, any idea of mobile radar stations comes relatively new to the organization, in a manner similar to how Spyder Philippines Air Defense System or SPADS from Rafael Systems Ltd come as relatively new air defense capability that enhances the security of the country’s national airspace.

From the functionalities standpoint, both the mobile and static air surveillance radar installations come with a similar purpose of actively monitoring the large portion of the country’s airspace with one significant difference between the two installations mentioned. 

Static air surveillance radars, as its description suggests, come as fixed facilities that usually station in high elevations on areas highly strategic enough to cover the country’s national airspace.

Mobile radar platforms, such as the Mitsubishi Electric J/TPS-P14ME, have the capability of getting deployed into areas that the end user desires to have, of which this is useful in an event of a full-blown conflict where it is likely that strategic and fixed radar facilities getting destroyed, rendering the defense forces blind from any intrusions coming from the sky. Its mobile deployment ensures continuous monitoring of the country’s airspace and ensures full airspace defense, while being deployable everywhere in the country to avoid detection from enemy forces.

One advantage that the likes of J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar might bring for the Philippine Air Force is that it can go on tandem with the Spyder Ground-based Air Defense System platforms in a single area, enhancing the capability of wide radar coverage to the guided radar system and detection of air defense batteries for its operators to fire surface-to-air missiles against a threat. 

It is also a bonus for the unit to share data with other units through C4ISTAR, such as the country’s air bases, for the deployment of fighter jet interceptors for additional enforcement.

Overall, having a mobile radar system provides additional flexibility for the Philippine Air Force, not only in effectively providing additional air cover in areas of the country’s airspace that requires its operation, but also in putting additional capabilities in enforcing the country’s Air Defense Identification Zone that ensures continuous airspace monitoring operations that shares real-time information with other units. It also provides additional redundancy to the air force’s fixed radar installations in the country.

CAPABILITIES

The radar module of the J/TPS-P14ME can get dismounted from the vehicle platform it comes with.
From Wikimedia Commons.

As the prospective static radar stations provide comprehensive 360-degree scope and coverage of the portion of the Philippine airspace as part of implementing the country's Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone by the Philippine Air Force, the J/TPS-P14ME radar platform possess its capabilities, some of which have already mentioned such as its mobility and immediate deployment in different areas of the country. Another capability it possesses is the one that has depicted in the image above.

The radar module of the J/TPS-P14ME has the capability of getting detached from its mobile platform, which, in this case, for the Philippine Air Force, is the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter truck chassis. 

This is ideal for temporary base deployment for a unit of the Philippine military to get its air defense in effect, again going in tandem with the service branch's Spyder Ground-based Air Defense Systems from Israel's Rafael Advanced Systems, providing a full secured airspace in an area desired by its end-user.

With this is the mainstay mobile radar of the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, or JGSDF, the J/TPS-P14ME sports a design purpose of having a three-dimensional target detection and tracking of targeted aircraft and other types in both medium and high altitudes. Going further, the radar system has an instrumented range of 250 nautical miles (463 km), ensuring extensive surveillance coverage, all thanks to its S-band frequency range needed to attain this feature.

This means that once the J/TPS-P14ME radar module gets deployed off the coast of Palawan, for example, it will have the coverage that goes beyond the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone, providing airspace cover for the island from any intruding aircraft from the western part of the country, especially from Chinese-made artificial islands that might have likely have any military aircraft deployed in its area. Its detection range and mobility give this radar platform its own advantage.

Given the details provided regarding the capabilities of the J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar that Mitsubishi Electric has provided to the Philippine Air Force, aside from the static J/FPS-3ME air surveillance radar platforms, it is clear from this point that the air service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines benefit to the same radar technology as the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. Moving on to the topic, another point of discussion is with the system's continuous development.

JAPAN GROUND SELF-DEFENSE FORCE'S MOBILE RADAR SUITES

Before the J/TPS-P14ME, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force maintains the older J/TPS-P5.
From Wikimedia Commons.

As the Philippine Air Force became the first country aside from Japan that operates the Mitsubishi Electric J/FPS-3ME air surveillance radar platforms deployed across the country, the same goes with the J/TPS-P14ME mobile radar platform, whereby the Philippine Air Force, along with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force or JGSDF, are the ones that currently operate such type of air defense detection suite. The latter comes with different variants of mobile radar platforms in its current use.

One of those is the older J/TPS-P5 mobile radar platform, an S-band air surveillance mobile radar module that was introduced to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 1971, featuring its capability that uses intra-pulse modulation and a pulse compression rate of 25. 

The J/TPS-P14 replaced the J/TPS-P5 in its introduction in 1988, and became one of the mainstay mobile radar modules of the JGSDF, with its first export prospect being the Philippines, with the Philippine Air Force its first overseas user.

Currently, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force or JGSDF slowly introduces a newer type of mobile radar module that intends to replace the J/TPS-P14 radar, of which this is called the J/TPS-P25 advanced radar module. This X-band 3D surveillance and acquisition radar comes with a four-phased array antenna, an improved development compared to the S-band features that both the J/TPS-P14 and the previous J/TPS-P5 mobile radar platforms have.

As the advancements introduced on the J/TPS-P5 mobile radar platform in both of its radar module and the vehicle it typically comes with, it is likely be that the J/TPS-P14ME radar that both the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force and the Philippine Air Force operate receives continuous support in the upcoming years, especially that the newer J/TPS-P25 radar has recently entered service in the early 2010s, since Mitsubishi Electric introduced this platform for the use of the Japanese Self-Defence Force.

With the Philippine Air Force having the J/TPS-P14ME radar in its operations, it gives a likely chance that this service branch gets more of this type in any future acquisition projects, if not pursuing the newer J/TPS-P25 as all the purchase prospects still depends on the actual requirements of the Philippine Air Force for its air defense purposes. Still, just having a single system of the J/TPS-P14ME makes the Philippines the first overseas user, and second from Japan itself, that operates this system.

IN SUMMARY

JGSDF’s J/TPS-P25 mobile radar.
From Wikimedia Commons.

Getting some mobile radar systems alongside highly functional air surveillance radar stations deployed across the country count as a huge win for the country’s implementation of the Philippine Air Defense Identification Zone or PADIZ, as it comes alongside the Philippine Air Force’s desire to improve the country’s capability in securing its own airspace. By 2028, the radar coverage will come at around 100%, under the Area Readiness 1 of the PADIZ implementation.

The acquisition of the J/TPS-P14ME alongside the J/FPS-3ME air surveillance radar from Mitsubishi Electric serve as a testament of an ever-growing bilateral relations between Japan and the Philippines, particularly in areas like national defense and security, as it is timely amidst the growing uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific region. In context, both Japan and the Philippines face aggression and worries from an ever-assertive China, whereby any conflict with this country risks the current order in the region.

Japan’s own-made radar stations set precedent to any future weapons and arms offer that the country might provide to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its entirety, specifically that it already provided several offers for consideration, with some already pushed through for acquisition. One of those pushed through is the Bell 412 EPX Utility Helicopters for the Philippine Air Force, of which it is currently in production by Subaru Corporation that augments its existing Bell 412EP Helicopters in service.

Aside from the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Army has also likely benefited from this improving security and defense relations between the Philippines and Japan, as this has already shown through the offers and‌ plans that provide the Philippine Army’s Aviation ‘Hiraya’ Regiment with helicopters of various types. Notably, this refers to both the UH-1J Combat Utility Helicopters and the AH-1S Cobra Attack Helicopters, as the Japanese defense doctrine renders these platforms irrelevant.

Describing the entire scope of this topic, the Philippine Air Force benefits in the advancement of its air surveillance radar technology, as it couples with both advanced static radar stations and mobile, readily deployed radar modules, all of which getting the perks that have with the Japanese technology also used by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. 

Japanese radar technology, coupled with Israeli-made ones, helps secure the Philippine airspace from unwanted intruders that might pose a threat to its national security by providing a round-the-clock surveillance to implement such needed air defense mechanisms.

(c) 2024 PDA.

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