The Philippine Navy’s first two fast-attack craft missiles (FAIC-Ms) test-fired their weapon systems last week in Israel. Two FAIC-Ms Typhoon 30mm automatic cannon and Mini-Typhoon machine gun system were fired in these exercises. Also tested were the FAIC-Ms redundancy controls from its open pilot house along with sea trials of the vessels’ rigid-hull inflatable. The inspection held from 27 to 30 June 2022 included the functional testing of all mission-critical machineries, navigation and communications equipment, and live firing of its combat systems. The joint certification of compliance, required for the shipment of the two FAIC-Ms to the Philippines. The vessels are expected to arrive by the third quarter of this year.
Nine units of Shaldag Mk V were ordered in a contract signed on February 9, 2021 under the Navy’s Fast Attack Interdictor Craft-Missile (FAIC-M) Acquisition Project.nThe first two FAIC-Ms were formally launched by Israel Shipyards Limited in Haifa, Israel last June 26. Four of the FAIC-Ms will be armed with non-line-of-sight missiles with pinpoint accuracy and a range of 25 kilometers while the other four will be armed with machine guns and light automatic cannons. The acquisition of eight FAIC-M units is among the 2019 projects approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte under the Horizon 2 List of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization program. The notice of award for the FAIC-M project, worth around PHP10 billion, was issued on January 5 last year.
The Shaldag-class patrol boat (Kingfisher) is a small but fast class of patrol boats developed for the Israeli Navy and launched in 1989, it has since seen service with several other navies. Designed for security tasks where high intercept speeds are required, such as interdiction of terrorism and illegal smuggling. Its salient features high speed in rough seas, with good seakeeping and outstanding maneuverability, exceptionally low slamming in all sea states, dry decks at all speeds and very spacious and accessible internal arrangement.The Shaldag-class was conceptualized by Israel Shipyards in response to request from the Israeli Navy for a fast patrol boat to protect Israeli waters from terrorist threats.
The Shaldag V patrol boats are armed with a Typhoon Weapon Station, mounting a Bushmaster M242 and electro-optics systems. The Typhoon is a type of remote weapon station manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel, and it shares similar design principles and common technologies with Samson Remote Controlled Weapon Station (Samson RCWS). There are spigots for 0.5-inch machine guns on both sides of the main deck. The boat is able to accommodate most advanced new weapon systems, such as the rapid-fire stabilized gun mount, remotely controlled by a night vision system. Four of the patrol craft will be armed with Rafael’s Spike NLOS missiles (range: 25 kilometers) while the other four will be armed with naval guns.
