Philippine Navy to build own radars

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy will build its own radar sets instead of acquiring from third party defense suppliers, an official said Monday.

Philippine Navy flag-officer-in-charge Vice Admiral Jose Luis Alano said that the country's vast airspace requires classified monitoring and security that radars have to be created in-house.

"This will pave the way to prevent the country from being technologically outwitted by any adversary," Alano said in a state news reports.

Alano said that the project "Itaas" to create radar sets for all fleet units is one of the five priority projects of the Naval Research and Development Center.

The other four programs include sonar equipment creation capability under Project "Ilalim," platforms under Project "Kuyog," long-term satellite project under Project "Tuktuk," and Project "Putok" to build modern munitions.

Alano said the program will support the existing Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy focused on the enhancement of maritime surveillance and operations.

The military is also expected to acquire three air search radars from Israel within the next two years to boost West Philippine Sea monitoring amid the dispute with China, according to previous reports.

Also read: Radars from Israel to boost Phl sea watch

Security officials have signed last February 5 an implementation arrangement for the purchase of radars from Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.-Elta for P2.6 billion.