The Philippine Air Force on Tuesday (PAF) announced that the first two of three SPYDER air defense missile systems will be delivered by the last quarter of this year. Battery refers to the grouping of missile launchers. A normal battery consists of three or more missile launchers. The last SPYDER battery will be delivered along with a missile maintenance facility which will be built in the Philippines, giving military personnel the capability to maintain the weapon system. Earlier, the PAF said it can now train on various surface-air missile engagement techniques after it formally accepted its first missile simulator, the SPYDER Philippines Air Defense Systems (SPAD) Simulator-Training Center last April 26.
“The SPYDER Philippines Air Defense System is very much on time, delivery will be earlier than scheduled (January 2023), it will be in the country by end of November to the first week of December. The project is for three batteries, the first delivery will be two batteries. We have upgraded the program, the last battery will be delivered with a missile maintenance facility to be built in the country at no expense to the government. There will be a technology transfer that goes with this and it will make us capable of maintaining missile systems and will greatly help in the sustainment of the program,” Air Force spokesperson Col. Maynard Mariano said in a message to the Philippine News Agency Tuesday.
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. was awarded the Ground-Based Air Defense System (GBADS) Acquisition Project. Three batteries of the SPYDER-ER air defense system were purchased in a deal said to be worth over $141 million, with first deliveries to be received in 2021. 3 batteries were delivered to the PAF in Sept.2021. The SPADS Simulator-Training Center is the Armed Forces of the Philippines) first missile training center, which will serve as a training ground for future missile operators to prepare them for real-world challenges, as well as to increase personnel knowledge, skills, and develop the right attitude for air and missile defense. The facility is located at the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
The SPYDER (“Surface-to-air Python and Derby”) is an Israeli short and medium range mobile air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with assistance from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The SPYDER is a low-level, quick-reaction surface-to-air missile system capable of engaging aircraft, helicopters, unmanned air vehicles, drones, and precision-guided munitions. It provides air defence for fixed assets and for point and area defence for mobile forces in combat areas. The system is fitted atop a Tatra truck, a Mercedes-Benz Actros truck, a MAN TGS truck, Scania P-series truck, Dongfeng truck, or a TELAR. The SPYDER launcher is designed to fire Python-5 and Derby surface-to-air missiles which share full commonality with the air-to-air missiles.
