The contract signing for the medium-range ramjet supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles, which are being eyed for two batteries coastal defense missions of the Philippine Army (PA), will be signed by the early part of 2020, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Monday night. A missile battery is equivalent to three mobile autonomous launchers with two or three missile tubes each. The procurement will be via “government-to-government mode”, once delivered the BrahMos will be the first Philippine weaponry with deterrent capability.
Aside from the Philippine Army, the missiles can also be used by the Philippine Air Force. The acquisition of a land-based missile system is under Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program slated from 2018 to 2022 for the acquisition of equipment geared for external defense and has a budget of PHP300 billion. The Philippines can support or provide funds for the acquisition of the missiles which was jointly developed by Russia and India.
The Philippine Army in October activated its first land-based missile battery system which is under the supervision of its Army Artillery Regiment. The unit is currently working on its training programs before acquiring the equipment. Ranking Philippine Army officials paid a visit to the “Shivalik”-class guided missile frigate, INS Sahyadri (F-49), to learn more about its missile capabilities which include the “BrahMos” cruise missile which can be launched from ship, aircraft, submarine or land and has a top of Mach 3 and capable of carrying warheads weighing 200 to 300 kilograms.
The BrahMos (designated PJ-10)] is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, ships, aircraft, or land. It is the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The name BrahMos is a portmanteau formed from the names of two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. It is based on the Russian P-800 Oniks cruise missile and other similar sea-skimming Russian cruise missile technology.
