Philippine Navy Finally Receives Spike-ER Missiles and Launchers and RCWS for MPAC Mk.III Boats

Finally, after several delays on the delivery, this week the Philippine Navy has finally received its shipment of Spike-ER short range surface-to-surface missiles, Typhoon MLS-ER missile launchers, and Mini Typhoon 12.7mm Remote Control Weapon Systems from Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

This would be an important milestone for the Philippine Navy as it marks its entrance to the missile age, with the Spike-ER being its first surface-to-surface missile system.

A Typhoon MLS-ER firing a Spike-ER missile.
Photo taken from Rafael's website.

The missiles, launchers and RCWS will all be equipped on the Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) Mk.III, 3 units of which were activated last May 2017 and assigned with the Littoral Combat Force.

Each MPAC will get a Mini Typhoon armed with a Browning M2 50-caliber machine gun, and a Typhoon MLS-ER launcher. Each missile launching system can carry 4 ready-to-fire Spike-ER missile launchers and missiles, although the MPAC could carry more rounds due to availability of an ammunition storage.

Some photos during the delivery inspection of the missiles, launchers and RCWS to the Philippine Navy. Faces on photos intentionally blurred/blacked-out to protect identity of inspection team.
Photos shared by source to MaxDefense.

It would be remembered that the Philippine Navy had delivery issues with these products from Rafael, despite the contract making Rafael responsible for delivery from Israel to the Philippines.

The Philippine Navy even asked General Headquarters AFP for approval of their request to use C-130 heavy tactical transport aircraft from the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to pick-up the missiles and launchers from Israel, although these requests were denied several times due to the limited availability of the PAF C-130s in line with events in the country that require their lifting capability.

Due to these availability issues, the PN and Rafael decided to push through with the delivery through commercial shipping.




Project Recap:

The Multi-Purpose Attack Craft Mk. III acquisition project was part of the Revised AFP Modernization Program's HORIZON 1 phase covering 2013-2017, and was divided into 2 lots:  Lot 1 was for the acquisition of 3 MPAC Mk. III boats with a budget of  Php270 million, while Lot 2 was for the acquisition of the MPAC Weapons System with a budget of Php594.320 million.

The MPAC Mk. III during their delivery and acceptance with the Philippine Navy last May 2017. Currently they are not yet armed with the Typhoon systems, and currently they are temporarily armed with manually operated machine guns. That would change with the delivery of the RCWS and missile launchers.
Photo courtesy of a MaxDefense community member, exclusive to MaxDefense.

Lot 1 underwent public bidding, which was won by Propmech Corporation-Lung Teh Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. Joint Venture under a Php268,880,000.00 contract while Lot 2 was a Government-to-Government procurement between the Philippines and Israel. 

An inert version of the Rafael Typhoon MLS-ER missile launcher as shown by officers of the Philippine Navy to Pres. Duterte aboard BRP Davao del Sur last June 2017.
Credits to owner of photo.

The Rafael Spike-ER missile is eletro-optically guided multipurpose missile with a minimum and maximum effective firing range of 400 meters and up to 8.000 meters, respectively. It can also be operated as a fire-and-forget missile to allow the safe escape of the launching platform. The missile has a penetration capability of up to 1,000mm of rolled homogeneous armor, good enough against small surface targets to destroy small boats and armored vehicles, or damage small ships.

The Spike-ER multipurpose missile.
Credits to owner of photo.

The Rafael Typhoon MLS-ER is an remote controlled weapon system, lightweight and stabilized launching platform that could be installed to small boats including the PN's MPAC platforms It includes an Electro-Optical Director and fire control system, and could be used in day and night operations.

The Rafael Mini Typhoon, a variant of the Typhoon family of naval stabilized remote controlled weapon system, is used on a variety of naval platforms including small boats like the MPAC. It is made to support smaller caliber weapons including the 50-caliber 12.7mm machine guns used by the Philippine Navy. It can be operated as a stand-alone system with a remote firing system inside the boat, or as part of a combat management system. It also allows manual operation as required by the end-user, and is capable of day and night operation.

The Rafael Mini Typhoon RCWS during remote operation.
Credits to owner of photo.

Another Horizon 1 project is finally completed, as the Philippine Navy is still struggling to complete its acquisitions under this phase. The Philippine Navy, as of MaxDefense's last count, still has more than ten (10) Horizon 1 projects in different stages of acquisition, despite 2018 already part of the Horizon 2 phase.

MaxDefense will continue to update its readers once the launchers are installed on the MPAC Mk. III boats, which would probably take some time considering the boats are currently assigned away from the PN's main naval base in Cavite.