List - Military Assets Provided by the United States to the Philippines

The current developments surrounding the Visiting Forces Agreement came in a sense that naysayers are arguing lately that it went ineffective as well as to the overall help that the United States has provided to the Armed Forces of the Philippines regarding its capabilities that bolster the power that the country's military organization accrue through the years.

Hence, it is just as good to lay down the facts regarding the assets that the United States Provided in the sense that several of this military equipment is second-hand as well as brand new ones in a way that it dispels that their aid consists more of the former.

Things in the list include this C-130 Cargo aircraft that carries
troops, equipment, and relief goods in areas of concern such
as combat zones and disaster-stricken areas. (c) Kit Agad, Jetphotos.

This list will contain deals, deliveries, and orders that took place between 1950 and 2018 which defines much regarding a country with its independence years post-Spanish, American and Japanese periods as well as with the bulk of its assets that covers much of the Cold War period spanning late 1940s down to the early 1990s.

The following information is obtained via the SIPRI Arms Transfers Database which they obtain a downloadable copy of what this page's content will be provided (link for the document here). 

As for the reason why this particular webpage exists despite having a downloadable copy is for the convenience of folks like you who read it here where it will not require such a download for the information to be provided as well as to have a ready-link for future reference use.

Also, this will set precedent on individual discussions which will be provided in the upcoming months in a way that different assets provided on the list may get discussed in detail later on especially on the benefits that reaped through the course of the bilateral relationships of these two close nations.

ASSETS PROCURED FROM 1950 - 2018

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Additional notes that will correct some details in the list provided are as follows - first, the Landing Ship Tanks (LST-1 class) were received and have got integrated into the fleet before the 1950s, and second, there are no Cannon-class Destroyer Escort from South Vietnam as opposed to the information provided. Credits to LCDR. Mark Condeno for this correction.

On the details provided in the report, it is simply showing that they provide much for the country's military capabilities which are worthy of a deterrent on both internal threats such as counterinsurgency and counterterrorist threats and external threats such as territorial defense from another nation that sees desire on encroaching that integrity and sovereignty that defines the whole country's jurisdiction and coverage of its authority.

Moreover, these assets such as the ones discussed on this blog website such as the S-70i Black Hawk Helicopters, AGM-65 Maverick Air-to-Ground Missiles, and M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers are something that the Armed Forces obtained recently, especially with the first two things mentioned with the third one obtaining recent upgrades on its weapons system which was done through an Israeli defense firm.

These military assets provided by the United States show that the relationships between two nations are strong through the years which came along with what is for both treaty allies are bounded at specifically before the scrapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement wherein they provided that technical support like in terms of surveillance through UAVs which is definitely different from the idea of them looking over the country's external defense as it is the responsibility of the country's armed forces to do such a job.

Hence, let these assets provided as well as their other ways of support be a reminder that both nations have these strong relations in the past as affirmed allies which may stay strong even in the current situations that hamper it on the lowest scale ever given the government's current stance. Nevertheless, one may still hope that things may go favorably in this decade particularly that these things matter a lot for the country's desire of having a firm minimum credible defense posture.

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The Jose Rizal-class Frigates taking Shape

By the upcoming months, the project slowly unveils itself before anyone who waits for it where later it will find itself in service with the Philippine Navy, making it the first recently-produced active frigate in service once again after just recently regarding the Del Pilar-class vessels' downgrade of classifications. So, that renders this vessel as an essential combatant of the Philippine Navy, being more armed than its peers currently in service.

OVERVIEW

The ship's design is presented in ADAS 2018. Image obtained via
Wikimedia Commons.

The Philippine Navy for the next couple of months is set to have these brand new frigates which as of this article posting is being built in South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard where it will mark the first for the fleet to have a better-armed vessel as compared to the ones it obtains currently in service.

Take note that the fleet just recently downgraded the classification of the Del Pilar-class vessels from Frigates down to Offshore Patrol Vessels or OPVs, given its lack of capability in terms of anti-ship, anti-submarine, and anti-air operations. This leaves the Navy having zero frigates in service as of the present date until the entry of these ships from South Korea into the fleet.

Hence, the current setup provides good and not-so-good outputs with regards to the capability of the fleet in terms of carrying out its mandate in protecting the country, being a maritime nation in geographical setup, against threats that have originated from the sea. Nevertheless, the Jose Rizal ships still provide that hopes and dreams, somewhat in a way that it is being built with the weapons it needs to be classified as a Frigate.

Given these updates, the ships have taken shape since the steel cutting ceremony that took place last year where the Frigates in its actual size slowly unveils itself to each enthusiast that keeps tabs about its progress.

Within this month, the leading ship of the class BRP Jose Rizal will be delivered in the country from its manufacturer Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard in South Korea. From there, we will now witness the unveiling of what is to be the most capable naval combatant warship that is ever in the Philippine Navy Service.

TIMELINE

The perspective image of what the BRP Jose Rizal looks like in the
Philippine waters. Image rendition made by PDA Contributor
Jun Gonzales.

This portion of the article will be providing inputs from across cyberspace to provide an idealistic library that leads to the creation of these South Korean-made vessels for the Philippine Navy. Take note that with this form of a presentation we can provide you a story-telling basis in the making of this project, the first of the big-ticket projects under the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program.

The whole plan started when the Republic Act 10349 or the Revised AFP Modernization Program was enacted way back year 2013 where the law extends the provisions slated in the previous R.A. 7898 or the 1995 AFP Modernization Program which at that time has already lapsed. 

This paves the way on the various Horizons in which the respective service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines started to create with respective big-ticket projects being slated to its respective Horizon as desired on the plans of having a minimum credible deterrence or defense posture.

This was started when the Philippine Navy leadership is looking for a Frigate that will surely pack that firepower which provides the deterrence that the country needs in the limelight of the Scarborough Shoal incident of 2012. 

At that time, the Italian Maestrale-class Frigates were provided on the table wherein the Department of National Defense and the Italian government negotiated on the terms and conditions that were provided at that time until the very last moment where the Philippine side decided to pull out from the deal altogether and instead opting to buy newly-produced frigates which will be done under the bidding process with the budget pre-determined by the end-user with different areas of technical aspects of this vessel being considered upon. 

By no surprise, the Italian side is pissed from the last-minute decisions that were made at that time wherein the idea of pursuing the Maestrale deal once again seems to be slim, even if this is taken in the current context.

From here, the path is set for the Philippine Navy to procure at least two brand new frigates which will be done through bidding as required under Republic Act. 9184 or the Procurement Law. Take note that the process that undertook this project covers a significant period where it covers eight years from proposals down to the delivery of the final products as well as it covered two administrations in which both deserves commendation, as well as the people who are significantly doing their job behind the scenes.

A year later, prospective bidders emerge and get up to the competition of grabbing the Contract which at that time amounted to 18 Billion Pesos. Participants include the Spanish shipbuilding company Navantia with its Avante 2400 Frigate, South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries with its Incheon-class Frigate derivative, India's Garden Reach Shipbuilding and Engineering with its Kamorta-class derivative opted for Philippine Navy specifications as well as with other South Korean shipbuilding companies which are the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) and STX Offshore and Shipbuilding Co which is the subsidiary of STX France S.A.

From there, it was known that India's Garden Reach Shipbuilding and Engineering (GRSE) became the lowest bidder of the project, although the awarding of the contract wen to the second-lowest and yet the most responsive bidder of the project which is the Hyundai Heavy Industries or HHI as the former failed the post-qualification requirements.

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPANY - HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES

HHI is one of South Korea's notable shipbuilding companies, catering
to both military and civilian customers. Image Source.

Being the winner of all of the proponents for the Frigate Acquisition Project, let us discuss in details with regards to this shipbuilding company in South Korea wherein aside from it is one of those companies that comprise the South Korean shipbuilding industry, it is also the one who bagged the contract which they made the Jose Rizal-class Frigates into fruition.

The Hyundai Heavy Industries is currently based on South Korea's Ulsan Shipyard wherein its construction was initiated in 1972 and was completed two years later in 1974, delivering 2,000+ ships of various types since its inception ranging from large, commercial vessels to military platforms ranging from combat vessels like Frigates and Destroyers to support ships with most of those intended to the South Korean Navy.

With a lot of tonnages that the shipyard produces especially with its production of civilian platforms like bulk carriers, cargo ships, car carriers, and even offshore oil rigs, this shipbuilding company obtains a firm record of experience on its expertise in shipbuilding which earned its reputation within South Korea's shipbuilding industry in which it contributes a lot for the country's economy.

Specifically building warships for the South Korean Navy, Hyundai Heavy Industries has built vessels which are comprising of various classes of combatant platforms like the lead ship of the King Sejong the Great-class Destroyers, several Daegu and Incheon-class Frigates, old vessels like the Pohang-class Corvettes as well as support vessels like the Cheonwangbong-class Landing Ship Tanks (LSTs).

Aside from the South Korean Navy, the shipbuilding company also successfully delivered its support platform to New Zealand which came in the form of a Supply Ship named the RNZNS (Royal New Zealand Navy Ship) AOR Aotearoa, an Auxillary Oil Replenishment designed to provide extra oil replenishment at sea, much like an offshore gas station for New Zealand's deployment of its warships outside the country.

With this type of customers that Hyundai Heavy Industries catered from military-based ones to civilian-typed ones, it obtains a lot of potentials for the company to grow more, although its production of ships may depend on the global economy which, on the recent report that was provided, is seemingly slowing down.

It is with this company that they produced the new, ever-capable warships that the Philippine Navy aspires for wherein it may be considered as the most powerful vessel that the organization will obtain once it will be delivered and accepted, although it is still far from the capabilities that the navies of neighboring countries have such as those in Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and most of all, China.

MORE ON ITS SPECIFICATIONS

The finalized specifications of the Jose Rizal-class Frigates.

To know more regarding the finalized specifications of the Jose Rizal-class Frigates with the components provided as seen as above, as well as the ones covered under the "Fitted For But Not With" category, it is preferable to see it in detail on our article that was written May 2018 entitled "The Final Specifications of the New Philippine Frigates".

For this article discussion, it is worthy to focus on a single, particular component of the frigate that serves as an encrypted communications suite which helps communicate with the other units on the battlefield in real-time and with up-to-date information that is crucial for the decision making of the higher echelons of the military that determines the outcome of a battle or a war.

This component is referred to the Tactical Data Link that the Jose Rizal-class Frigates will be having especially that these features for these highly-sophisticated combat vessels of the Philippine Navy will be provided by another South Korean defense company who is also responsible for the production of the warship's Combat Management Systems that serve as the brains that interconnect the subsystems fitted onboard.

Currently, the Frigates will be fitted with a Link-P Tactical Data Link which in itself is a derivative of the Korean-developed Link-K Tactical Data Link and with the manufacturer's promise of having it compatible with the Tactical Link-16 that the Philippine Navy desired by the year 2019 with no certainties with regards to this development given that this has already lapsed from the date of this article's publishing date.

Let it be known that the technology and standards that form the Tactical Data Link-16 were developed in the mid-1970s through the U.S. JTIDS Program where it is fitted onboard NATO-Operated AWACS or Airborne Warning and Control System and ground control systems through the larger class 1 terminals, and eventually onboard fighter aircraft such as F-14s and F-15s through their class 2 terminals and eventually with the MIDS program (abbreviated for the Multifunctional Information Distribution System) which is a lightweight terminal intended for NATO allies and smaller U.S. aircraft such as the F-16.

With the communications suite that the ships will be fitted on, there is this uncertainty on the Link-P Tactical Data Link that the South Koreans are offering on the Philippine Navy ships wherein their assurance on its compatibility with the Link-16 are actually showing more concerns, especially that such communications kit is considered more of an untested prototype.

Despite these things, there may still be hope for this additional feature onboard the ships given the details that the South Koreans are in the process of integrating the Link-16 Tactical Data Links onboard its serviceable FA-50s which is also in active service with the Philippine Air Force, although the doubt still remains on the communication suite's compatibility with the Combat Management System fitted onboard the ships.

GETTING IN SHAPE

The Jose Rizal-class Frigates BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and
BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) on Hyundai Heavy Industry's Ulsan Shipyard.
Obtained via Google Earth, dated August 5, 2019.

Spanning from the first steel cutting of the ships up to the present, both ships of the same class are getting significant progress as it takes its shape and form which gives an insight on its structure as seen on realistic detail, while also getting an idea regarding its future service within the Philippine fleet with its corresponding subsystems fitted.

On the image provided above, it is known that the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) was launched on May 23, 2019, which is why it is seen on the water, docking and doing some refit work while the BRP Antonio Luna was launched six months later, on November 8, 2019. The map image provided was dated August 5, 2019.

Some recent developments regarding the ships involve sea trials that determine its limitations regarding its speed, sea state survivability, maneuverability, and others that measure its performance which goes satisfactorily completed as far as their assessments are concerned.

The BRP Jose Rizal is being prepared for sea trials.
(c) Philippine Navy

These steps that the ships partake are something that will assure their role within the fleet upon its acceptance especially with the Philippine Navy getting its older ships decommissioned which is meant to pave way for more new and sophisticated ones like the Jose Rizal-class Frigates.

It is with these steps that the organization is improving a bit more, although more projects in the Philippine Navy's pipeline which as just as essential as this one such as the FAIC-M or the Fast Attack Interdiction Craft - Missile, Philippine Navy corvettes which are basically the Flight 2 of this class of ship, and the Offshore Patrol Vessels which may be produced from a shipyard owned by an Australian company.

The prospective dates of the ship's delivery will take place this year, ranging from the second quarter down to the last quarter of the year which may help provide the navy some supplanted platforms to patrol the waters amidst the prospective retirement of its older vessels which may appropriately be done with replacements beforehand.

DEVELOPMENTS AND MILESTONES

The Keel Laying of the BRP Jose Rizal took place on October 16, 2018
which was launched into the water six months later. 
Image from the Philippine Navy.

Things will not be complete without detailing the developments that the ship has undertaken from the signature of the contract up to the first steel cutting of the BRP Jose Rizal which took place five months before its first keel laying (see image above) on May 01, 2018, which followed up to its launching another six months later.

The progress between these milestones does show the speed that it took for the Hyundai Heavy Industries to produce the BRP Jose Rizal, to the extent that it may comply up to its delivery deadline which may take place on the second quarter of the year 2020, rendering it as the recent addition to the fleet to have until the second ship which is the BRP Antonio Luna will be delivered as well within the year.

Speaking of the BRP Antonio Luna, its steel cutting took place on September 17, 2018, which is four months after the first ship's keel laying with the same happened with this ship on the date that the BRP Jose Rizal launched to the water on May 13, 2019. This followed with its own launching to the water six months later as aforementioned.

Like the first ship before it, the BRP Antonio Luna also progressed on its milestones in a shorter period which may help the Hyundai Heavy Industries comply with its deadline wherein all of the ships may render active service by the year 2021, although it takes more time for the crew to make the warships fully operational just like in the case of its corresponding AW-159 Antisubmarine helicopters which is set to do just where it will go operational by November 2020.

These milestones are indicating the ship's manufacturing, systems testing, and performance trials get on its track although its firepower capabilities are currently being hampered by a simple fact that it has subsystems that may get procured, later on, embedding the idea of Fitted For But Not With which renders the ships a bit underpowered until it has these items integrated as well.

Nevertheless, only time will tell with regards to this development as there may still things that may happen along the way, although the idea of keeping the flag on the West Philippine Sea is still there as it goes with the speech of the Philippine Navy's new Flag Officer-In-Charge Rear Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo where these ships may stand hope with the service branch's plans of decommissioning old ships on its fleet.

Such hopes of modernization also stand on other projects that the Philippine Navy has in the pipeline that were mentioned as these tools, along with the new Jose Rizal-class Frigates, provides the service branch the current capability it needs as it may get more sophisticated ones along the way shall things go preferable by Horizon 3 spanning from 2022 up to the year 2028.

TO SURMISE IT UP

Since the ships' first steel cutting, it recently takes shape as both of the vessels are now floating in the water from their respective launches in the year 2019 and is now currently undertaking various tests and sea trials which is to determine its performance measurements in correlation to the standards that the end-user sees on these vessels.

Speaking of standards, there is one gray area discussed especially on its communications suite subsystems like the Tactical Data Link 16 that is currently being utilized by the United States and allies under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO which is designed to deliver real-time data about the current situation of the battlefield.

Despite these potential shortcomings that may come with the vessels' subsystems, it is still worthy to take it as the most sophisticated vessel that the Philippine Navy will soon obtain as it is fitted with subsystems which are interconnected together by a Combat Management System which is the Hanwha Naval Shield ICMS as well as having weaponry on board that is not commonly available in the fleet with the BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) being the stepping stone as it obtains weapons fit like torpedo tubes and sensors like sonar for anti-submarine operations.

With the plans of decommissioning older, legendary warships are being set by the service branch, it may go apparent that such ships such as the Jose Rizal-class Frigates or similar vessels which obtains better specifications and purpose are needed, with the necessary funding be prioritized as well as the projects that are set in the pipeline, as the purpose of procuring more assets go along with the capabilities that are needed in assuring protection of the country's vast territorial waters as well as providing a presence in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone such as the contested ones west of the country.

Overall, the Jose Rizal-class Frigates may be considered a significant headstart of the fleet's desire of modernizing itself for the better, which is currently in materialization since its first purchase of the BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PS-15) way back in 2011 in which its sights are set on the Horizon especially for the Revised AFP Modernization Program's Horizon 3 (2022-2028) with more projects coming on its way to having the desired minimum defense posture that the country needs for national defense.

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How Really Important PH-US Visiting Forces Agreement is for the Philippine National Defense?

The Philippine-United States relations, through the years, are strong with the latter providing much for the country's national defense especially through the Cold War as well as to the present day with the spectrum of combat focusing more on eliminating terrorist threats.

And this relation came with recent strains in which one of those things that have caused this rift is centered on this particular agreement which involves the rotation of U.S troops within the country which is at risk as a result of a highly-political matter which will be less discussed on this article.

Pitz Defense Analysis note: This article is only with facts provided and supplanted with references highlighted in red which will be redirected to a specified link. It is better to read it in detail before making any violent reactions herein.

IN THE HEADLINES

Both the troops from the United States and the Philippines have
participated in exercises like those for KAMANDAG 3 as specified
in the image above. From DVIDSHUB.

The rift between the currently strong relationship between the United States and the Philippines recently went into the spotlight once more as reports provided the updated information regarding the revocation of the U.S. Visa on a certain Philippine Senator which have received the ire of the President and put the Visiting Forces Agreement between two nations at risk where it was first threatened to be scrap by the Administration, which in turn they intensify it up as they are working for it to end up, figuratively, in a trash heap.

This development came as the latest one coming from the administration in which they show discontent to the United States and its so-called intervention to other sovereign nations as what the naysayers were harping all along, which in itself is not surprising given that it is consistent by its nature from the things have been way back 2016, the year that the current administration rose to power.

Setting these highly-political details that may spark an argument on both sides of the equation aside, let it be known that the agreements that the Philippines currently have with the United States are essentials for both nation's national security and defense as both sides share their respective pieces of knowledge that mean a lot in interoperability and camaraderie between the both nation's Armed Forces.

And with this discussion came the necessity of providing the required learning especially that this topic which involves national defense matters between the country and its closest ally, in a sense that more knowledge is required to be provided to dismiss any misinterpretations or misunderstanding of the context dealing with these agreements forged by both sides.

So, let us take it deeper as it will be worthy to understand it up in detail regarding the agreement, its correlation to the US-Philippine relations as well as with the latter's national defense ranging from external defense down to counterterrorist operations that takes place in the country. 

Before proceeding, we kindly encourage you to read this article: "What It Means to be a Treaty Ally?" written May 13, 2018.

KNOWING THE PH-US VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT

A United States Coast Guard vessel and the BRP Andres Bonifacio
participated in 2019's Maritime Training Activity "Sama-Sama".
Obtained via DVIDSHUB.

To understand in detail regarding the United States-Philippine Visiting Forces Agreement, let us provide information here bit-by-bit to provide ourselves the idea of what is this thing is all about especially on joint military exercises as well as on the relations of both countries as a whole.

Ratified by the Philippine Senate in 1999 at the turn of the century, the Visiting Forces Agreement aims to promote defense cooperation between two closest allies as well as providing the Armed Forces of the Philippines the boost it needs in terms of providing external defense.

This agreement in itself is interdependent to the previous undertakings between the Philippines and the United States such as the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty in which it was ratified back then to get into each other's help especially in case of an armed attack that took place between each other's territories as well as providing that portion of defense in the Pacific region.

It is with these agreements that the Philippines received its boost in terms of military capability and national defense wherein the United States provided things for the country to cope with the past and present spectrum of the combat environment especially with the present incursions that China has in the West Philippine Sea (which the United States show defiance through Freedom of Navigation Patrols) and counterterrorism operations that they provide the tools particularly the ones that involve surveillance.

Read more:  "The U.S. Drones In Zamboanga City and the Philippine UAV Programs", written March 31, 2019.

With the Armed Forces of the Philippines undertaking its recent Modernization Program with respective projects distributed across the three military branches that it encompasses, one may have the idea that having these agreements with the United States helps augment the military's current shortcomings in its capabilities which is slowly being materialized.

As far as military capabilities are concerned, the United States is helping the Philippine and it's military through JUSMAG which provides the training, logistics, and advices that the Armed Forces will take with regards to how will it improve its capabilities as well as be updated with the latest intelligence particularly the ones that pose a threat for the country's national security and defense.

So, the Philippines as far as things are concerned is benefiting from this kind of help from the United States especially through this deal that the Philippine Armed Forces receives the support it needs to be an improved organization that goes along with its mandate of defending the country which is also essential to the security of the Asia-Pacific region, in line with terms that both nations have under the Mutual Defense Treaty.

EXAMPLES OF ITS IMPORTANCE

The United States provided firearms for the Armed Forces of
the Philippines to have in improving its capabilities.
Image Source.

Many examples show the importance of the Visiting Forces Agreement that exists between the Republic of the Philippines and the United States of America, wherein one of those things involves providing new firearms to the Armed Forces of the Philippines such as the one provided in the image above.

Another example is with Marawi Siege as the United States Armed Forces provided their Philippine Counterparts advisory and technical support while the latter is doing all the fight on the ground with all of those inputs provided on their plans which attains their objectives in line with counter-terrorism operations of the agreement.

That support is further provided with many exercises that the Philippines have with the United States, especially with bilateral military activities like the annual Exercise Kamandag and Maritime Training Activity Sama-Sama, as it bolsters interoperability and camaraderie between the personnel of both of the country's Armed Forces.

Aside from military-related activities such as the aforementioned exercises and support for technical and advisory matters, the agreement actually allowed the United States to provide all of the support it needs especially with regards to the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) situations wherein the Armed Forces badly needs logistics chain to support the citizens affected by natural calamities such as those who survived the onslaught of the 2013 Supertyphoon Haiyan or locally known as Yolanda.

It was on those tormenting, difficult times that the United States immediately provided help to the Philippines where there are no countries who have managed to make such a rapid response, given that the agreement allowed them to send troops and supplies for the affected ones to have in need especially on basic necessities.

Ultimately, the agreement helps the Philippines in deterring the current situation in the West Philippine Sea where aside from the support they provided, the United States is also active in countering Chinese hegemony with the freedom of navigation patrols they conducted as being against China's desire to dominate the whole South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) is something that the Philippines indirectly benefited.

These proofs are just showing that the Visiting Forces Agreement is something that both sides benefit from as the primary aim is to provide that defense posture with the Philippines having the support from the closest ally while getting itself armed for the better through the Revised AFP Modernization Program (R.A. 10349).

CHINA'S GAIN AND THE AGREEMENT'S CORRELATION TO THE OTHER U.S. AGREEMENTS LIKE THE MUTUAL DEFENSE TREATY AND EDCA

Female Chinese troops marching in Tiananmen Square during
the 70th Founding Anniversary of the People's Republic.
(c) AFP

The revocation of the Visiting Forces Agreement benefits China more than what the Philippines and the United States see, given the proofs that signify its importance as both sides benefit from the agreement which is primarily centered on providing support, especially on external defense and counterterrorism matters.

This is what the ex-envoy of the Philippines to the United States warned in which it goes in line with the examples provided in the article where it will definitely affect the country's resolve in its counter-terrorism efforts as well as on the country's efforts to keep the West Philippine Sea in check, particularly the activities that China has over its outposts, its ships deployed there and proxies like the Maritime Militia.

Furthermore, the scrapping of the agreement as well as the status of the already-weak Armed Forces of the Philippines against a regional power like China, it will be not surprising for the Chinese to grab the opportunity in emboldening and getting firm on their claims over the whole West Philippine Sea, making things difficult for the country to stand on its own without any support from a stronger ally like the United States.

While the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA will not be included in the scrapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the recent stain between the Philippines and the United States still endanger these other two agreements that forged ties between the two nations as these agreements are interdependent one after the other and it will not be that far that the United States may do the same in scrapping these said two other agreements as they were incurring operational expenses such as in the case under EDCA as they are deployed in various Philippine bases across the country.

Then, the proposals made on tapping Russia and China as opposed to the U.S. in doing defense stuff that the United States covered under the Visiting Forces Agreement is in itself an absurd thing especially with China which is the very nation that encroaches on the country's domain in the West Philippine Sea, reinforcing the idea of the agreement's revocation working on benefits for the Chinese to have.

These developments seem to be working against what one sees as a fundamental of protecting the country from a neighbor that aspires one's backyard and its rich resources while getting on fostering ties on such a neighbor, setting aside the things that are seen as the thing that in line with the country's supposed interests.

Nevertheless, only time will tell regarding the outcome of the scrapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement and its implications in which it goes with the very defense posture that the Philippines desire has given that its existence provides that much a benefit as proven for the country's deterrence from external threats, counter-terror efforts and humanitarian assistance/disaster response.

WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN

The members of both Philippine and United States Air Force in photo-op
after 2019's Bilateral Air Contingent Exercises Philippines or BACE-P.
Image by SSgt Anthony Small, via DVIDSHUB.

The status and development over this portion of the Philippine-United States relations is something that is to be tested in time as both countries have the strongest ties between each other since the country's Independence in 1946 from the country that is seen today as an ally.

This pursuance for the revocation of the Visiting Forces Agreement is seen as the worse one since 2016 when President Duterte rose to power and the idea behind this proposal arose on the reasons that the United States apparently put the funding on hold for the country's anti-poverty projects.

On this proposal, one has indicated the impact of its revocation that may affect the commitment of the United States in deterring the Chinese in the West Philippine Sea as there will be no Philippine territory for the ships to dock in as this agreement is anchored to the country's national security as well as to its continuous obligations that are covered on other agreements such as the Mutual Defense Treaty.

Despite the current political headwinds, there still is hope that the country's military establishment is working on its best efforts to keep the agreement from falling apart or to save what they can from its revocation especially with the fact that the Armed Forces is benefiting more on subject matter exchanges and interoperability exercises with their counterparts.

In the end, it is worth to see what's in store for the country's defense posture for the years to come especially that the alliance between the Philippines and the United States is as just as important as the country's Modernization Efforts in which these setups are essential for the deterrence that the whole nation needs in countering both external threats like China and counterterrorism in which the agreements in a place like the Visiting Forces Agreement is something that shows its importance for the security and defense in the region.

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The Necessity of Having Military Cargo Platforms for Logistics and HADR Operations

When speaking of national defense, the first thing that comes into mind is the idea of having advanced weaponry within the inventory of a military force so as it will be useful for defending the country's national interest and territorial integrity from threats coming from inside and outside of the jurisdiction that defines a nation.

However, there is something more than firepower and capable military prowess that is as just as important, given that this area of consideration is something that defines not only the overall outcome of a battle or a war but also the essentials of providing the needs which it involves humanitarian matters or disaster response.

OVERVIEW - A DEPLOYMENT FOR REPATRIATION

A non-combatant platform such as the BRP Davao del Sur (LD-602) is
just as essential as other firepower-capable warships that the
Philippine Navy obtains. Image from DVIDSHUB.

On the recent news about the deployment of a single Tarlac-class Landing Platform Dock and a Del Pilar-class Offshore Patrol Vessel to Iraq as part of repatriating Overseas Filipino Workers over the recent escalation of tensions between Iran and the United States, one has simply an idea about the importance of having such naval vessels to get things done of putting Filipino citizens abroad from the harm's way.

This importance came along with a simple fact that the Philippine Navy still lacks the number of warships it needs, so much that the outgoing Flag Officer in Charge of the organization admitted it in an interview with reporters wherein it gives that hard fact that despite the pace of the Revised AFP Modernization Program made to the fleet in improving its capabilities, more is needed to get the capacity required not only in patrolling the country's waters but also in providing sealift support for other uniformed forces to have.

Aside from the Philippine Navy, there is also the Philippine Air Force where they have the plan for utilizing their cargo aircraft such as the C-130 and C-295s as part of the repatriation campaign to get as many Overseas Filipino Workers as possible from the potential conflict area given the similar context involving the tensions aforementioned which is a cause for concern in the Middle East.

So it similarly goes to what the Philippine Navy get in terms of providing logistical resources which sends that very important message of getting more things done especially with the Philippine Air Force has only five C-130s (with one recently burned in an airport), and three C-295s (with one being with the Presidential Airlift Wing, making it four), wherein it also shows the limitations that the military branch has in having this capability.

Given these logistical-related matters that correlate national defense, let it be ideal to deal with this kind of discussion in which the aspect that the subject matter covers is something that deals with the mobility that the Armed Forces obtains and providing the way to enhance it for the betterment of the whole organization and for the whole nation as well.

CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE

The Philippine Navy is currently tendering on the Landing
Docks Acquisition Project. Image Source.

Currently, the Philippine Navy initiated a bid that will call for a purchase of at least two more Landing Platform Docks which will help complement the Tarlac-class Landing Platform Docks that the Philippine fleet has in its inventory wherein one of such vessels participated in the repatriation process in the Middle East.

One of the participants of this project is Indonesia's PT PAL Persero wherein they provided the Tarlac-class to the Philippine Navy wherein its ideal preference as an extra platform through this project may help ease logistics along the way will increase the number of such vessels in the fleet that obtains the needed carrying capacity for both amphibious operations and HADR or Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Response.

The Philippine Air Force meanwhile, received its fourth C-295 cargo plane in which it was deemed useful during the time when Mindanao, specifically in the City of Davao, was hit by series of earthquakes there as well as the anticipation for the delivery of 16 S-70i Black Hawk Combat Utility Helicopters from Poland either within this year or by next year, and also the idea of having more C-130 and the delivery of six NC-212i in complement to the recently-purchased two NC-212i from Indonesia's PT Dirgantara.

Given these developments, one will say that this indeed the progress that both the Philippine Navy and Air Force obtain in regards to having a logistics platform that gives both of the airlifts and sealift capabilities in which in the process helps mobilize not only the troops and military equipment into combat but also the needed supplies and other matters in any natural calamities and events.

That being said, let us provide the prevalent situations within the country and abroad which gives necessity for such assets like these logistics platforms given that the geography, natural disasters, unrest from overseas, and also other things which are feasible or justifiable of providing more such platforms, along with additional combat vessels for protection.

THE PHILIPPINES, ITS GEOGRAPHY, AND LOGISTICAL CHAIN

The country sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a meteorologically-active
part of the planet filled with numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. 
Image Source.

The Republic of the Philippines sits on the Western Pacific area, an archipelagic nation similar to that with Indonesia wherein it lies on the maritime Southeast Asian nation surrounded by bodies of water from the Bashi Channel to the North, the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea to the West, the Celebes Sea and the Sulu Sea to the South and the Philippine Sea/Pacific Ocean to the east.

This means that it also lies in a geographically-active area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire which explains the number of earthquakes such as those that took place in Davao in the latter part of the year 2019 or in Bohol which was hit in 2013 as well as the number of Volcanic eruptions such as the ones that recently took place on the Taal Volcano in Batangas.

The country also sits at the forefront of the typhoon alley wherein it produces the most powerful storms therein which put lives in danger as well as inflicting damages to property, hampering people's lives on the path of these destructive natural elements with the immediate necessity for basic needs usually came aftermath such as in the case with the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which definitely the strongest one in the recent history that had inflicted massive destructive results in areas such as in Eastern Visayas area.

Adding more to the list are several man-made calamities which go as destructive as the natural ones, wherein here goes more the strain with the Southern part of the country in Mindanao being the area most affected by the actions made by radical terrorists and Islamic separatists such as in the case on 2013 Zamboanga Siege and the 2017 Battle of Marawi City.

These natural and man-made disasters are something that will highlight the necessity for logistics platforms wherein it will be ideal to have these situations considered on factoring the future planning in purchase additional logistics platforms needed in increasing the immediate deployment of goods whenever it is needed, addressing the situation at a shorter time.

THE POINTS CORRELATED

A Philippine Air Force C-130T aircraft on the runway.
(c) Robert Rimestead - Philippine Planespotters Group.

The geographical location of the Philippines in the Asia-Pacific region comes with strategic points as well as disadvantages brought by several natural calamities aforementioned that the country is vulnerable to, in which logistical tools and platforms like military aircraft and sealift vessels are needed to quickly respond to these types of scenarios that will immediately provide help.

Currently, the Philippine Air Force operates 5 C-130s of which one was burned and two under maintenance, leaving two of such aircraft operational while having four C-295s and two NC-212s in service in which it may still go insufficient given the reasons that specify specifically more on the nation's vulnerabilities which emphasizes thorough Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Response aside from deployment of military troops, equipment, and supplies in combat at a shorter period.

Moreover, the Philippine Navy currently obtains two Landing Platform Docks, three Balikpapan-class Landing Craft Heavy that was obtained from Australia, a handful of Bacolod-City class Logistics Support Vessel, World War 2-era Landing Ship Tanks, and BRP Tagbanua (AT-296) which is the largest Philippine-built warship to date, in which it will be added more by two Landing Platform Docks in which suppliers such as PT PAL Persero may stand a chance as their product offerings go as similar as the ones already in service with the fleet.

Going with the deployment of ships and plans of sending aircraft to the Middle East, it is just as useful to simply have the BRP Gabriela Silang doing the repatriation work as it sails on its way to the country while letting the country's key airlines doing the same kind of approach of helping Overseas Filipino Workers repatriated which may minimize the strain on the military's key assets for such operation.

Instead, this may help push the idea of purchasing more military platforms - both logistical and combatant ones as it will help the country cope with its capability with existing assets in the inventory regarding in taking rapid response to natural disasters as well as enhanced mobility and deployment of military resources that preserve the country's national security and territorial integrity. 

TO SURMISE THIS UP

The recent deployment of the Philippine Navy to the Middle East with Sri Lanka serving as a stopover shows the importance of both combatant platforms like the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) and a logistics platform like the BRP Davao Del Sur (LD-602) wherein it gives an idea regarding the necessity of adding them more in sufficient numbers required both in patrolling the waters and providing sealift as well as airlift support in the case of the Philippine Air Force.

Moreover, the country's geographical setting, its vulnerabilities from natural calamities, and the situation of the Filipino diaspora in the Middle East make such an idea on taking such necessity more viable as it shows the country's resolve of taking its citizens out of harm's way which in itself is an attribute for a responsible nation with a government taking care of its people.

It is with here that the Revised AFP Modernization Program based on the current Republic Act 10349 gets more significance as there is something more than what the Armed Forces can do aside from territorial defense wherein logistics platforms may double as both platforms for military mobilization and deployment on areas of concern as well as the ones that serve the people affected by calamities the basic needs at an immediate time possible.

With the projects ongoing such as those for the Landing Docks Acquisition Project, the hopes are high for it to push through as this means additional platforms for the Philippine Navy to utilize aside from its existing landing crafts of various types which include the largest ones it obtain such as the Tarlac-class Landing Platform Docks.

Hence, it will be an interesting thing for all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including also the Philippine Army with a handful of military trucks in its inventory like the Ural 4320 military trucks from Russia to have more assets at hand on sustainable numbers wherein these logistics platforms are an essential thing to keep an upper hand for the movement of supplies in both peaceful and combat situations. 

To end this entry, let us quote things about logistics:

“The tactics…no, amateurs discuss tactics,…. Professional soldiers study logistics.” – Tom Clancy.

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