The newly activated Marine School of Armor of the Assault Armor Battalion (AABN) under the Philippine Marine Corps Combat Service Support Brigade (CSSBDE) conducted an Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) training at the 76th Assault Amphibian Company Headquarters, Naval Base San Antonio on September 6, 2021. BGen. Ruben B. Candelario PN(M), Commander, CSSBDE, convened the Basic AAV Course Class-01 (Water Operations Phase); AAV Operations and Maintenance Training; AAV Riders Training for Marine Amphibious Ready Unit; and the retraining of 76th Assault Amphibian Company, AABN.
The Philippine Marine Corps Assault Armor Battalion (AABN) contains a Headquarters and Service Company, an Armor Maintenance Company (Armor Mnt Co), an Assault Amphibian Company (AAV Co), and a Light Armor Vehicle Company (LAV Co). It is tasked with providing the maneuver brigades with armored assets to support their operations. The unit’s inventory consists of LAV-150s, LAV-300s, LVTP-5s and LVTH-6s, KAAV7A1. None of the LVTP-5s are currently in service but the Marines have been able to recondition four of the LVTH-6s for their use.
BGen. Candelario stressed, “The blended AAV training activities are mission essential trainings for the ground combat element of the Marine Amphibious Ready Unit. The training will allow the AAV Company and Marine Infantry Company to seamlessly undertake missions as part of the Amphibious Force of the Philippine Navy.” He also conducted an ocular inspection of the facilities being constructed for the Philippine Marine Corps Assault Armor Battalion (PMC AABN) at the Naval Base San Antonio.
KAAV7A1 (Korea Assault Amphibious Vehicle) amphibious vehicle series based on AAV-7A1 by Samsung Techwin (now Hanwha Defense) and BAE systems developed and manufactured in South Korea by Hanwha Defense. Philippine Marine Corps All 8 KAAV7A1 units has been delivered as of 2019 and currently operated by the Philippine Marine Corps, plans to order at least 16. The Philippine Navy would need 16 moreKAAV7A1s as it aimed to acquire two more Tarlac Class strategic sealift vessels (SSVs) in addition to its two existing units. The versatile KAAV7A1s enhance by large ship-to-shore capabilities of the Philippine Marine Corps.
