New 81mm Mortars and UAV Confirmed with the Philippine Army

The 78th Anniversary and Thanksgiving celebrations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last December 20, 2013 confirmed 2 new systems with the Philippine Army (PA). These are the newly acquired 81mm Mortars and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). Both projects were realized under the AFP Modernization Program and were quietly commissioned in the past.

President Aquino inspecting the new equipment of the AFP, which includes the Philippine Army's 81mm mortars & Unmanned Aerial Systems. Also displayed by the PA are its Garmin handheld GPS and M4 rifles.
Photo taken from GMA News website.

MaxDefense will discuss the 2 projects in this blog:

1. New M69B 81mm Mortar
The Department of National Defense (DND)_released an Invitation to Bid on November 2010, for a new project called 81mm Mortar Acquisition Project with project number AFPMP-G-PA-10-004. This project involves the acquisition of 100 new 81mm mortars, and 2,000 rounds of 81mm mortar ammunition. The Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) of this project is Php 190,320,000.00, with the mortar worth Php 170,320,000 while the ammunition is worth Php 20,000,000.00.

The M69B 81mm mortars displayed during the AFP's 78th Anniversary.
Photo taken from Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas' Facebook page.

Only 1 company, a joint venture of Joavi Philippines Corp. and Israeli firm Talon Secuirty Consulting and Trade Ltd. (Talon) submitted a bid worth Php 189,500,000.00. Interesting is the background of Talon which was also involved in a controversial deal for mortar ammunition with the AFP in 2009, which they were cleared later on. They were also involved in a controversial arms trade in Iraq by being the agent of defense companies in Serbia and Montenegro. This is probably the connection that was also used in winning the 81mm Mortar Acquistion Project, wherein the joint venture of Joavi and Talon offered the M69B from Serbia.

The M69B mortar during tests prior to delivery.
Photo taken from the PARDC Facebook page.

The Yugoslavian M69 was originally designed as an 82mm mortar for the Yugoslav People's Army. Upon the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the early 90s, most of the country's former states like Serbia and Bosnia brought with them the industry, technical know-how, and skill to make arms and weaponry. With the democratization of these former Yugoslav states, arms standardization slowly leaned towards NATO's own standard, which eventually affected the production of the M69 mortar. An 81mm NATO-compatible version was built, designated as M69B, which is the same model offered to the Philippine Army. 

The original M69 mortar uses a 82mm caliber, non-NATO compliant version. A NATO-compatible version, the M69B, is the model sold to the Philippine Army.
Photo taken from Krusik Holdings Corp. website.

According to media reports, the mortars were supplied by a Serbian company to the Joavi-Talon joint venture. MaxDefense also initially taught it was Serbian, being the dominant Yugoslav state and home to most of the former Yugoslavia's defense manufacturing sector. But a MaxDefense source involved in the actual transaction and testing of the mortars confirmed that the mortars were actually made by a Bosnian company, BNT-Tvornica Masina i Hidraulike, d.d (BNT-TMiH), based in Novi Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This company actually made the mortar's major components like the barrel, breech, breech block and the undercarriage, and also make mortar and artillery components for other major manufacturers from other Western countries. This company is also the manufacturer of the 155mm howitzer being offered by Joavi Philippines to the DND as part of the 155mm Howitzer Acquisition Project previously discussed in an earlier MaxDefense blog. In turn, this company's products were marketed internationally by a Serbian defense marketing agent which has the connections to the Israeli company. So to those asking, that was the reason why these mortars are actually Bosnian.

The M69B is among the products produced by Bosnian company BNT-TMiH.
Photo taken from BNT-TMiH company website.

Meanwhile, the M72 81mm mortar High Explosive (HE) ammunition are made in Serbia. 

The 81mm Mortar Acquisition Project suffered a setback in for more than a year until the project was again continued, with the DND signing a contract with the Joavi-Talon joint venture for the delivery of 100 units of M69B 81mm mortars. Field testing of the mortars and ammunition was done at Crow Valley, Tarlac on June 2013. According to the Philippine Army's spokesman, all have been delivered and were distributed to all infantry divisions..




2. Philippine Army Unmanned Aerial System (UAS)
Another item displayed in the anniversary celebrations are the Philippine Army's Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), which are actually small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) developed by the Philippine Army Research and Development Center. (PARDC).

The Philippine Army's UAS displayed during the AFP's 78th Anniversary celebrations.
Photo taken from Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas' Facebook page.

Although there is little information about these UAS, the PA claims that the Raptor and Knight Falcon (as they are called) UAS are capable of providing real time imagery and video feed from a distance of 3km to 7km, and has an endurance of 3 hours. According to the PA, these UAS will complements their existing Human Intelligence (HUMINT) and Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities, and can also be used in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. 

MaxDefense previously posted a photo of the Raptor in action during the Zamboanga City crisis last September, 2013. The army claims that this is the first time they actually used the UAS in action.

From a simple look at the display, it appears that the drones look like commercial-designed models, specifically the Skywalker remote control aircraft used by hobbyists and commercial UAV operators. It is a simple and sturdy design, probably the reason why the PARDC chose this specific model as a platform for the army's UAS. The army quotes the Raptor at Php 150,000.00 each, while the Knight Falcon, although it looks similar to the Raptor, costs higher at Php 300,000.00. This is cheap compared to most military UAV systems used by other countries. Reportedly another larger, more advanced version is being developed and may cost at Php 1.5 million.

According to the Philippine Army, news reports and the Philippine Drones blog, the drones are said to carry a 12 megapixel camera capable of snapshots and video, and weighs at around 2.1 kilograms. It has a wingspan of 178 centimeters (1.78 meters) and can fly at an altitude of 1,000 feet. It's propulsion is an electric brush-less motor powered by lithium-polymer battery packs. Surprisingly, the entire autopilot system is probably Chinese-made, with a FeiyuTech UAV GPS capable autopilot system with radio datalink, ground station control software is FYGCS by Feiyu Electronics running on Windows-7, and a video link using FeiyuTech Hornet on screen display.

The UAS' ground station and autopilot program displayed during the AFP's 78th Anniversary celebrations.
Photo taken from Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas' Facebook page.

Both the army's mortar and UAS acquisitions are very important, as it improves the overall combat capability of the organization. MaxDefense believes that these are initial acquisitions, and follow-on orders or development may follow later on upon availability of more funds from the national government (as in the case of the UAS, it's a project that is continuously improving). 

The appearance of these items in the PA's capability list only shows that the modernization program is moving without the public knowing too much. It proves that modernization programs not being reported publicly does not mean there's no movement on the program at all.

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Christmas Gift: Philippine Navy Gets AW109 Power Naval Helicopters

On December 18, 2013, the Philippine Navy (PN) commissions its first 3 AgustaWestland AW109 Power multipurpose naval helicopters as part of the AFP 78th Anniversary and Thanksgiving celebrations at AFP's headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. 

Commissioning of AW109 Power naval helicopters with the Philippine Navy on December 18, 2013.
Photo taken from Manila Times Facebook page.

The Naval Helicopter Acquisition Program:
On March 2010, the Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) released an invitation to bid for the procurement of 2 multipurpose helicopters including Intergrated Logistics Support (ILS) and air and ground crew training with an Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) amounting to Php 850.91 million. Award should have been to PZL Swidnik of Poland for a navalized W-3 Sokol variant, but this was deferred after reports of collusion between PZL Swidnik and a joint group from the Philippine Air Force and Navy was made public.

Taken by CatsMeow@TMW of Timawa defense forum just after it arrived at Camp Aguinaldo for the commissioning ceremonies.

Another attempt was made in 2012 now under the Naval Helicopter Acquisition Program, and the PN planned to embark these helicopters on the Gregorio del Pilar-class frigates. The DND decided to negotiate with AgustaWestland for navalized AW109 Power helicopters, and was found to be the single calculated and responsive proponent. With the help of the Italian Ministry of Defense upon their review, the notice of award was provided to AgustaWestland S.p.A. and a contract was signed on December 20, 2012 for 3 helicopters worth Php 1,337,176,584.00 (US$32.544 million), to be financed by the AFP Modernization Program with assistance from the Department of Energy. An option for 2 more is also included in the contract, which was realized later on for a total budget for the 5 helicopters plus ILS for probably less than Php 2.2 billion. Expected delivery is around early 2014.

AW109 Power naval helicopter with the folding rotor kit installed.

An excellent photo of PN AW109 Power with tail no. 432 during one of its tests in Italy.
Photo taken from Airliners.net by Fabrizio Capenti and Malpensa Spotters Group.

The first batch of avionics and maintenance crew were sent to Sesto Calende, Italy for training on May 2013, while the 1st batch of pilots for training were sent to Italy on June 2013 while the last batch were sent on November 2013. The training for different crews vary between 2 to 4 months which will enable them to maintain and operate the helicopters with minimal or no help from AgustaWestland specialists.  

The first 3 helicopters arrived in the Philippines on December 7, 2013, way ahead of schedule, and were assembled at AgustaWestland's facility in Manila. Initial tests were made before the installation of the FLIR and accessories and commissioning rights.

The 3 AW109 Power naval helicopters on display during the AFP's 78th anniversary.
Photo taken from Manila Times Facebook page.

After the commissioning rights, the helicopters will then be used by PN NAG pilots in embarking and disembarking with the Gregorio del Pilar-class frigates, which would probably take several months or even years to reach proficiency among its rank. The helicopters will also be used to provide the PN with the background and experience to enable it to move up the ladder as it plans to acquire larger ASW-capable helicopters in the next few years.


Naval AW109 Power Features:
The helicopters were classified as "Multipurpose Naval Helicopters" and will be tasked as the embedded air asset of the Gregorio del Pilar-class frigates. The choice of the AW109 was in part because of the said frigate's lack of sufficient space to take in larger naval helicopters in its small telescopic hangar. The helicopter could be used for surveillance, search and rescue, over the horizon targeting, insertion of SEAL Team, interdiction, vertical replenishment and utilitarian missions.

The AW109 will be the mainstay aviation asset of the PN's Gregorio del Pilar-class frigates.

The PN's AW109 feature a new exterior naval grey paint scheme different from the standard PN Naval Air Group royal blue. Exterior features that can be easily seen are the rescue winch on the starboard side, emergency flotation devices on the helicopter's sides, and the forward looking infra-red (FLIR) ball turret. 

A PN AW109 Power naval helicopter being tested in Italy.

Inside, the helicopter features a glass cockpit, a cabin for 2 pilots and 4 passengers (or space for stretchers if needed), and the FLIR control panel on the passenger cabin to be operated by a specialized crew member. The FLIR sensors, made by American firm FLIR Systems, will enable the helicopter crew to see in poor visibility or weather conditions due to the system's use of thermal radiation to create a picture. It can be used for surveillance of humans for target tracking or rescue at sea, target acquisition and tracking, and piloting of helicopter in poor weather condition. At the same time, the helicopter is equipped with a video transmitter that can send live feed video to land or ship bases. 

The FLIR ball turret and one of the emergency flotation devices.
Photo taken from Sandy @ Timawa defense forum.

The helicopter is also equipped with a weather radar, transponders and storm/lighting detection systems, very important features when operating on an open sea. As a navalized helicopter, it is also equipped with a foldable rotor system (a video of the blade folding kit installation can be seen HERE) which will enable it to fit inside the ship's hangar. Other features of the helicopter include the capability to do vertical replenishment (VERTREP), as the helicopter is equipped with a cargo hook on its underbelly, although the capacity of cargo that can be carried might be minimal due to the helicopter's small size. 

One of the PN's AW109 Power naval helicopter after testings, installed with the rescue winch, emergency flotation devices and FLIR ball turret.
Photo taken from Pinoy Aviator's Facebook page.

Another feature that it will be doing in the near future is Over the Horizon Targeting (OTHT) which will enable the Gregorio del Pilar-class frigates or any missile-armed ship of the PN to extend the range of its anti-ship missiles beyond the curvature of the earth by using the helicopters as targeting systems. This will be possible when the helicopters are equipped with OTHT targeting radars and a data link that extends the ship's surveillance, tracking and targeting capability and overcome the line of sight concerns of naval vessels. So far the DND and AFP are still determining the data link system that they intend to use for the entire AFP, which is also one of the requirements of the PN's new frigates and refurbishing of the Gregorio del Pilar-class. This feature will be available after an upgrade of these helicopters.

Over the Horizon Targeting (OTHT) enables a naval vessel to extend its "eyes and ears" and use the helicopter's sensors to guide long range anti-ship missiles to its target. This is a planned feature of the AW109 helicopters after installing OTHT tracking and targeting radar.

If the reports are correct, it was reported that the 2 more AW109's arriving early next year will be armed and will have a significant electronic warfare (EW) capabilities, probably an electronic support measures (ESM) system installed. Except for these, it is difficult to know the difference of these 2 helicopters with the earlier 3 units, but MaxDefense believes that the 2 incoming EW capable armed naval helicopters will be the actual units to be assigned with the BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) and BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16).

A lightweight ESM receiver similar to the Northrop Grumman LR-100 RWR/ESM/ELINT system shown above may be carried by the AW109.
Photo taken from Northrop Grumman website.

Unfortunately the helicopter is too small to be an effective anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter, being unable to carry a dipping sonar, and may even have difficulty in carrying a torpedo. If the helicopter is equipped with a OTHT targeting radar, it may also have difficulty in carrying a long range anti-ship missile. So MaxDefense is skeptical on what kind of armaments that the incoming AW109 naval helicopters can carry.

Nonetheless, the helicopters are a welcome addition to the Philippine Navy's growing capability. Its a good Christmas indeed this year for the men and women of the Philippine Navy, especially those from the Naval Aviation Group. More photos of the helicopter can be seen on MaxDefense @ Facebook's photo albums HERE.

By the way....

Merry Christmas to all MaxDefense readers and supporters!!

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3 Projects to Modernize the Assault Rifle Assets of the AFP; M16/M4 Series to Stay with Government Arsenal Improvements

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through the Department of National Defense (DND) is now embarking on modernizing its firearms assets which, like the entire AFP as a whole, needs to be updated and improved with the future in mind. MaxDefense will discuss the 3 separate programs of the DND to improve the firearms supplied to the AFP for the present and for the future. 

The AFP has been a long time user of the M16 rifle. Seen here are Philippine Army Scout Rangers during a recent parade in Manila.

Short Background - M16 Rifle in the AFP:

The AFP has been a longtime user of the 5.56mm M16 rifle which is based on Eugene Stoner's AR-15 design, with initial units coming in from US military excess stocks during the Vietnam War era. The AFP received the M16 and M16A1 variants from the US government, and the country was also allowed to produce a license copy of the M16A1 through Elisco Tool & Manufacturing Company. This would eventually be the source of M16A1 rifles for the majority of the AFP. The last batch of M16A1 rifles received from the US government was through a shipment of 30,000 M16A1 (enhanced) during the term of President Gloria Arroyo as a goodwill gesture from the US President George W. Bush. Aside from the AFP, all government armed agencies are recipients of M16s, majority also coming from the AFP.

Aside from the M16, the AFP also uses other variants of the AR-15 series, including the Colt's CAR-15 carbine, and the M4 carbine all which were sourced from the US. There were also modifications made by the AFP to the M16 to meet certain requirements like the Philippine Marine Corps' Marine Scout Sniper Rifle (MSSR) and the Night Fighting Weapons System (NFWS)

The PMC developed the Marine Scout Sniper Rifle through the guidance of Maj. Gen. Jonathan Martin, now the Government Arsenal Director.
Photo taken from Wikipedia.

1. New Remington R4 Rifles for the AFP:

Finally after a long wait, it is confirmed that American arms manufacturer Remington Arms Company LLC was indeed awarded a contract to supply 50,629 units of assault rifles based on the popular M4 carbine together with spare parts, training support, and accessories. The contract is worth Php 1,944,261,591.66, or almost 40% less than the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) of Php 3,189,627,000.00, wherein Remington will be supplying their R4 carbine to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The rifles will then be distributed to the different branches of the AFP, probably majority to the Philippine Army (PA), and will arrive in several batches starting in 2014. Local company P.B. Dionisio and Company is the official local representative of Remington Arms in the Philippines, where it won over the bids coming from Colt Defense LLC, SIG Sauer Inc., and Manroy Defense Systems.

The Remington R4 is the company's version of the widely-used M4 carbine. This would be the next service rifle of the AFP, while older M16s will shoulder on after repairs and refurbishment.
Photo taken from Remington Defense website.

The rifles are meant to supplement and replace early models of the M16 and M16A1 rifle, which is the standard rifle of the entire AFP, majority of which were provided from ex-US military stocks since the 1970s, or were locally produced by the Elisco Tool Manufacturing Company. Many are already in poor condition and will need refurbishing or replacement, which is a separate program within the AFP Modernization Program. 

Product Overview:

The Remington R4 is a 5.56mm caliber rifle based on the proven Colt M4 and M16 series. It weighs around 7 lbs. and has a telescopic stock. It operates on a direct gas impingement and rotating bolt system, and has a rate of fire of between 700 to 950 rounds per minute and a maximum effective range of 600 meters. It has a barrel length of 14.5" with 6 Groove 1:7' right-hand twist that can fire the M855 (SS109) 62-grain ammunition being standardized in the AFP, although it can also fire the older 55-grain M193 ammunition. 

The R4 is capable of being fired in semi-automatic, full-automatic, or burst modes, and the rifle can use the Magpul P-Mag or the standard  GI-type magazines similar to what is already being used by the AFP for the M16 and M4 series. It is also compatible to most M16/M4 accessories and armorer equipment that is already with the AFP.

Members of the Philippine Army's Light Reaction Battalion being presented to President Aquino during an Army presentation of capability. The Philippine military is a major user of the M16 and M4 series rifles, being in service since the late 1960s. 

What's New with this Project?:

This specific procurement project has proven that the government can purchase quality assault rifles for a low price than most procurement projects in the past. For this project, each rifle costs at an average of Php 38,400, or around $869 (as of December 13, 2013 conversion). Previously it is normal for the AFP or all other armed agencies to get a standard rifle at past Php 70,000 price range. For example, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) got their M4 for Php107,000 each. With the amount saved on this project, there would be an additional Php 1 billion that can be used for other projects of the AFP Modernization Program.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officers with their M4 carbines. PDEA reportedly paid Php107,000 for each of these M4, as compared to the Php38,400 paid by the AFP for their Remington R4. Very big difference and very scrupulous, isn't it? 

It also shows that the AFP will still see the M16/M4 rifle to shoulder on for the next 20-30 years as its rifle of choice considering the release of newer rifle designs in the world market. This saves the AFP on many factors, including the retraining of the end users (soldiers), armorers that maintain the rifles, and saving the accessories, machinery and other equipment bought by the AFP through the years to support and maintain the rifle type.


2. Repair & Updating of Old M16 Rifles by the Government Arsenal:

Another project that is being pushed by the DND and AFP is the refurbishing of existing M16 rifles, which many are out of service and defective after many years of use. The rifles may either be refurbished back to the original M16 The Government Arsenal (GA) is the primary government agency responsible for undertaking this project as they are, by right, the DND's official arms and ammunition manufacturer and armorer. And with their new capabilities they can now manufacture replacement and provide upgrades to the existing rifles besides repairing them back to top condition.

The photo above shows the condition of the M16s from the AFP before the refurbishing.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

The needed repair work depends on the actual condition of the rifles, a MaxDefense source said that all are in very poor condition, were damaged both internally and externally, with several missing parts, and majority are not even in firing condition and were only stored by the AFP after finding them as not usable. 



a. M16A1 (enhanced):

According to a post of GA Director Maj. Gen. Jonathan Martir (Ret) in his own Facebook account, the GA received spare parts enough for 8,000 M16A1 rifles from the former Logistics Command (LOGCOM) of the AFP provided by Elisco before they closed down a few decades ago, and through US Foreign Military Sales (FMS). GA also obtained the technical data package of the M16A1 from Elisco,  and several machines and armorer equipment related to the M16A1 repair works. These upgraded rifles are called the M16A1 (enhanced) which is similar to what was made by the US armed forces for their National Guard units. The refurbishing includes the use of a new standard 20-inch 1:12 groove barrel, and new internal parts including the firing pin. Aside from the barrel and internals, GA retained the A1 receivers after repairs, and uses the newer A2-type hand guards, pistol grip, and fixed stocks.

The photo above shows what the M16A1 look like after the GA refurbishing and upgrade, and are called the M16A1 (enhanced). It now resembles an M16A2 although A1 barrels and receivers were retained.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

Aside from the above described rifles, some were repaired and refurbished by GA according to the different requirements of the AFP.



b. M16 Dissipator:

Another upgrade version made by GA, called the M16 Dissipator and released on May 2013, uses a 16-inch long barrel with a 1:7 RH twist and chrome-lined chamber, installed with a GA-produced muzzle break, and addition of GA-produced enhanced trigger guard, tactical latch for charging handle, an ambidextrous safety selector, and a 1-point sling adapter. Buttstock can either be a Magpul adjustable type, or a A2 fixed buttstock although initial versions were produced with the Magpul adjustable type. 

A video feature of the rifle was also posted in GA's Facebook page. These updates will also be included in the M16A1 refurbishing program, and also for those to be converted to M4 carbine (14.5-inch barrel) standard.

Some of the M16A1s were refurbished to follow the proposed future service rifle of the AFP, with a 16-inch barrel in 1:7 RH twist groove and A2-type parts. Photo doesn't show the GA-manufactured muzzle break.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

GA's M16 "Dissipator" mode, a 16-inch barrel length version with enhanced features.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

The first batch of refurbished M16s in enhanced and 16-inch versions were turned-over to the AFP on December 2012, and it was projected that the GA can refurbish at around 500 rifles every month for 2013. Several batches were already handed over to the AFP on both the 20-inch M16A1 (enhanced) and 16-inch M16 Dissipator versions.

AFP officers checking out GA's refurbished rifles during the handover of the 1st batch on December 2012.
Photo taken from Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

Another batch of 490 M16A1 (enhanced) and 25 M16A1 Dissipators were handed-over to the AFP on May 2013.
Photo taken from Government Arsenal's Facebook page. 

c. M4 Carbine-type:

Another refurbishment followed the M4 carbine standard, which uses a 1:7 RH twist groove in a 14.5-inch long barrel and telescopic stock, although it retained the original A1-type receivers, including being a fully automatic model similar to the M4A1. It was also installed with the GA-developed muzzle break and cycle reducer. The cycle reducer brings down the rate of fire of the M4 from around 910rpm to 600rpm. The initial batch of these upgrades were made for the GA's own Security Force. 

GA's own Security Force were issued with M16A1 refurbished into M4A1 configuration, although it retained the A1-receivers. It also received GA's muzzle break and cycle reducer. A testament of GA's armorer capabilities.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

There are plans that once the spare parts taken from LOGCOM are all used up, GA will then turn to purchase new parts to further upgrade existing M16 rifles in the Philippine government. 

Several M16A1 rifles from the AFP have already undergone the refurbishing project, and this project is expected to continue and cover most of the AFP's old rifles. Besides the AFP, the other M16-equipped armed agencies can also avail of this program as prescribed by the government, which includes the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and others.



3. Production of Locally-made M16 and M4 Rifles by the Government Arsenal:

The third part of the AFP future rifle program is for GA to be self-sufficient in producing its own M16 derived firearms. Proposed by the GA is to use the 5.56mm 62-grain M855 (SS109) ammunition, which is now being produced by the GA as well. This is to improve on compatibility and inter-operability with the US armed forces, as well as to make use of the improvements from the development of the ammunition. The barrel will be made of chrome moly or stainless steel with a 1:7 right hand twist and chrome-lined chamber, and will be according to milspec. It will also have a semi and select fire options.

The GA 14.5" Recon/SOF 5.56mm rifle, as shown during one of the local gun shows in Manila.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal's Facebook page.

3 variants were proposed by the GA, with the following descriptions as described by GA Director Martir:

1. Service Rifle Model - this model will replace the M16A1 with the AFP, and is similar to the M16 Dissipator upgrade made by GA, as discussed a few paragraphs above. It will have a 16-inch standard contour barrel length with an A2-style rounded hand guards, the GA-produced muzzle break and bayonet sling, A2 front and upper receiver-installed rear sights and fixed carry handle, A2 fixed buttstock, and provisions for grenade launcher. 
2. Recon/SOF Model - this model follows the M4 being used by most Special Operation Forces of Western armed forces, and will be used in the same way as the Philippines' counterparts. It will have a 14.5-inch standard contour barrel length, Picatinny rail and rail adapter system with milspec rail spaces,  flattop upper receiver with fixed cartridge case deflector, detachable carry handle, flip-up front sights, M4 4-position telescopic buttstock, and is capable of accepting SOPMOD accessories and grenade launcher. 
3. DMR/SPR Model - a designated marksman or special purpose rifle following the lines of the Philippine Marine Corps' MSSR rifle, filing the gap between the regular infantryman and a sniper. It would have an effective range of up to 800 meters with optics. It will have an 18-inch bull free-floated barrel with an A2 standard flash suppressor, folding front and rear sights, Picatinny rail and flattop upper receiver, a special buttstock design as determined.

The 3 proposed 5.56mm rifle types of the GA based on the M16 series. From left to right: The 14.5" Recon/SOF model, the 18" DMR/SPR model, and the 16" Service Rifle model.
Photo taken from the Government Arsenal Facebook page.

With these 3 separate projects, we can see improvements on the service firearms of the AFP, and possibly of all other major armed agencies of the Philippine government. The most simple reason holds the key to this decision: practicality. Unlike Thailand and Singapore which shifted from the M16 to the Tavor and SAR-21, respectively, the AFP is not in an advantageous situation in skill, infrastructure and financial reasons to jump away from a proven platform. 

The AFP is already a longtime user of the M16 series, and has invested heavily on the rifle type since the late 1960s. Its personnel started and ended their careers with mastering the M16, its armorer's skills and equipment already in place, and with thousands of accessories and upgradable parts available in the market and within production capability of the GA, plus the unquestionable and proven capability of the rifle vis-a-vis its modern competitors has proven that the M16 series will stay for a considerable time in the future as a weapon of choice not only by the Philippines but also with the rest of the world.

A Philippine Marine Corps infantryman getting hands-on learning on the M16A4 used by the US Marines. Like the US, the Philippines will see the M16 series as part of its armed forces for several more decades to come.
Photo taken from the Marine Corps Times website.

MaxDefense believes that this decision by the DND, GA and the AFP is a wise one, and must be given importance as this is the most basic weapon of the entire modernization program. 3 different firearm programs, all into improving the AFP's infantrymen's capability and giving the best weapon the Republic has to offer to its soldiers. 





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UPDATES:
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June 24, 2014:

The Philippine Army is scheduled to receive the initial batch of Remington R4 carbine from the USA by July 2014. The first 27,000 units are said to be immediately sent to front line army units, MaxDefense believes that the first units to receive are the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and units under the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). SOCOM may already have familiarity with the rifle, being similar to their existing M4 carbine. 



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July 17, 2014:

A speech of Pres. Benigno Aquino III during the opening of Asian Defense and Security (ADAS) Exhibition 2014 confirmed that aside from the initial order of 50,629 units of Remington R4 carbine ordered by the Army, it has added another 12,657 units using some of the budget saved from the tender. This brings the total order to 63,286 units. 

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Analysis of the Philippine Army & Marine Corp's New 155mm Towed Howitzer Acquisition Program

The Philippines' Department of National Defense (DND) recently released an Invitation to Bid for the acquisition of 155mm Towed Howitzer with Ammunition acquisition project. This includes 12 units of 155mm Towed Howitzers, 240 rounds of 155mm High Explosive (HE) cartridges and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS), with an Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) of Php 438.62 million pesos. These artillery pieces would be shared between the Philippine Army (PA) and Philippine Marine Corps (PMC).

As required by the DND's Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), the bidders must be the manufacturers themselves, was able to complete a similar project within the last 10 years, and the product must be used by the armed forces of the country of source or at least by 2 other foreign armed forces. These requirements are actually standard to all acquisition projects made by the DND before. The pre-bid conference was scheduled on November 22, 2013, and the bid submission and opening was scheduled on December 5, 2013.

Another Supplemental Bid Bulletin released on November 28, 2013 adjusted some of the requirements of the project,which includes the following:
- reduction of the required number of years to have completed a single contract similar to this project to 5 years, instead of the earlier requirement of 10 years;
- the entire lot of 155mm towed howitzer should not be outsourced from subcontractors, and items were listed for clarification;
- training of end users on handling the artillery pieces will not require the manufacturer to provide ammunition;
- changes on the propellant charge and length of modular propelling charge specifications now according to manufacturer's specification instead of fixed by the DND;
- emphasis on packaging according to NATO standards of 8 projectiles per pallet encased in plastic cover;

Although not much information was released on the project,

Background:
Not known to many, the Philippine Army has some 155mm howitzers in its arsenal. It received a dozen M114 howitzers from the United States in 1972, and 14 M71 towed howitzers from Israel in 1983. Both models are still in use up until now, with the M114s recently seen in action in Mindanao. They are usually outshone by their smaller 105mm counterparts in media exposure and actual combat usage as the 155mm guns are rarely seen and used. This is because of the 155mm's more expensive ammunition and practicality by the AFP, difficulty in mobility, lack of sufficient 5-ton prime mover trucks in the PA to move them around, and being less in numbers. Most of the guns are also positioned in Luzon island area where combat operations requiring artillery support is almost non-existent, as compared in Mindanao. 

One of the Philippine Army's Soltam M71 155mm towed howitzer, which are in use since 1983.
Photo taken from Timawa.net c/o 40niner_com.

So far, the PMC does not operate any 155mm howitzer in its arsenal, and are only using a few 105mm M101s and Oto Melara pack howitzers, thus any 155mm howitzer procurement will be a first time for the PMC.


Previous Attempts to Procure 155mm Guns:
There were several attempts by the DND, PA and PMC to procure 155mm guns for the past couple of years, and were delayed by several issues. 

In 2008 there were plans to procure at least 12 units for the PA, including ammunition and prime movers as part of a 1st batch, and an additional 6 units in a 2nd batch. This plan did not come into fruition due to financial and budget concerns. 

In 2010 another press release from the DND announced its plans to procure 6 units 155mm howitzers worth Php 186 million for the PA, and 2 155mm howitzer systems worth Php 230 million for the PMC. This also did not materialize after the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) that would cover the cost of these projects expired at the end of 2010. Due to the cost differences between the systems planned for procurement by the PA and PMC, MaxDefense believes that the PA project that time only involves the actual guns, while the PMC's "system" may probably include a fire control system, ammunition and training equipment, and prime mover trucks. The PMC that time also lack 5-ton prime movers in its inventory. Again, this plan did not materialize.

The PMC only operates 105mm howitzers, as seen in the photo above of PMC artillerymen firing one of their M101 guns during Balikatan 2013 exercises at Crow Valley.
Photo taken from USMC official website.

As the project is not totally shelved, another attempt was made in 2012, this time involving ex-Italian Army FH-70 155mm howitzers. 25 units were planned to be procured together with several armored vehicles as part of a wider deal that includes the purchase of ex-Italian Navy 2 Maestrale-class frigates and several other Italian weapons systems. As the Maestrale deal sank, further attempts to get items scheduled for retirement from the Italian Army went down with it. Although MaxDefense sources is not yet totally ruling out the deal with the Italians as the DND and AFP are still keen in getting used wares from the Italian military as a separate deal from before.

Italy offered around 25 units of used FH-70 155mm howitzers recently as part of a wider deal that includes 2 Maestrale-class frigates and M346 LIFT aircraft. Unfortunately, this deal sank with the Maestrale frigate deal.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

The Current 155mm Howitzer Acquisition Project:
The most recent attempt to procure 155mm howitzers for the PA and PMC was released by the DND in November, and will be procured through a bidding process. Compared to previous attempts, this current attempt involves 12 units, more than the total 8 units combined for the 2 services. The budget also appears to follow more the original budget allocated by the PA for its own requirements instead of following the PMC's previous budget, it is worth noting that the PA previously allocated an average of Php 31 million per gun, while the PMC allocated an average of Php 115 million per "system". Currently the average budget is just above Php 36.5 million or $844,000 apiece but now it includes the ammunition and an ILS package.

Surprising though is the decision to merge the PA and PMC's requirement, it was initially believed that the PA was looking for a standard field artillery system, while the PMC is looking for an ultra lightweight system, thus the larger budget for each gun in its previous attempt. According to a MaxDefense source within the DND, whoever wins this acquisition project may look forward to additional numbers that the PA and PMC may procure in the near future as the 2 services are now bent on increasing their 155mm field artillery capabilities. It was confirmed earlier that the AFP recently received a delivery of several trucks, including 5-ton prime movers from the US military, thus the problem on having a prime mover is already solved.


Budget is the Key, again: 
MaxDefense believes that the budget allocated by the AFP and DND is too low, which at less than $800,000 per gun pales in comparison to the budget allocated by India to purchase M777 155mm lightweight howitzers for more than $6 million each including laser inertial artillery pointing systems, parts, training and ILS as part of its ultra lightweight 155mm artillery purchase for its mountain troops. Originally the budget allocated by India for ultra lightweight 155mm guns is around $4.2 million each on the average. 

Take note that the M777A2 is the favorite of the PMC, and was even used extensively during previous exercises between the USMC and the PA/PMC. There were even speculations that the PMC and probably even the PA are eyeing the purchase of the M777A2 to simplify logistics, training, and integration of Philippine forces with those of the US military.

The video above shows Philippine Army artillerymen getting some hands-on training on the use of USMC M777A1 155mm lightweight howitzers during Balikatan 2013 Exercises.

According to MaxDefense sources, cheaper but brand new alternatives to the M777A2 system have been offered by Elbit Systems with a downgraded derivative of their Soltam ATHOS; and with Hyundai WIA (formerly Kia Machine Tools) with their KH-179 (which is closely derived from the US M114 gun). Due to the cost considerations, it is possible that Elbit Systems will take out several features of their ATHOS gun system like the automated features and auxiliary power unit. 

The Hyundai WIA KH-179 155mm field howitzer-medium in action during a ROK Army exercises on April 2013.
Photo taken from Craving Korea blog.

MaxDefense was not able to get hold on the market price of the KH-179 when it was sold to Indonesia recently, but a MaxDefense source from the DND confirmed it to be "generally less than $1 million each". The KH-179 is in use with both the South Korean Army and the Indonesian Army, and can be transported by CH-47 Chinooks. As for the Elbit Systems Soltam ATHOS, MaxDefense sources also indicated that Elbit has offered a simplified system without an APU and its automated systems to put it in the same price range as the KH-179, although MaxDefense was also not able to get an average market price for the said gun. The only problem with that is this specific downgraded Soltam 155mm system is not in use with the Israeli military as it is, although the "tube" itself is in use with the Israeli military and several other foreign militaries. The technicalities is up for the DND to interpret, but it smells bad news for Elbit Systems.

The KH-179 up-close, seen here used by the South Korean military. The KH-179 was heavily derived from the US M114 gun (which the Philippine Army has), although Kia Machine Tools (now Hyundai WIA) claims it to be an entirely indigenous product.

Another possible offer can be the original M777 gun, with only optical fire control and without the automated features found on the later model M777A1 and A2 that makes the entire gun system expensive. But this can still be far fetched as it is still expected to cost above the allocated budget of the DND.


Other Possibilities:
The PA and PMC may also possibly look at the 2nd hand market, but for now this is highly unlikely if bidders can come up with a product to suit the requirement and budget allocated for this project. But looking at 2nd hand equipment may be viable if this bid fails. Used howitzer assets can also be procured as a parallel acquisition program to immediately provide the PA and PMC with higher number of assets at the shortest possible time without eating too much of the meager budget.

A contract worth looking at for comparison is that between the United States and Thailand. In November 212, Thailand received 54 units of surplus ex-US military M198 155mm howitzers it purchased for TB 850 million ($27.7 million as of November 2012) to replace its ageing M114 guns (similar to what the PA uses). These were said to be refurbished and "enhanced" units, and cost at an average of around $513,000 per gun or 40% below the DND's budget for the PA & PMC requirement.

An M198 155mm guns being unloaded during their delivery for Thailand as part of a TB850 million FMS package with the United States. These are to replace ageing M114 guns in RTA service.
Photo taken from defense studies blogs. 

Previously, the US government made offers to the Philippines to procure ex-US M198 155mm howitzers but the Philippine government then did not take the offer due to budgetary concerns. But that was then. This offer may still stand depending on the Philippines' willingness to spend for them.


How about the Self-Propelled Artillery Procurement?:
The ground services seems to take it one step at a time, first improving the artillery capability that will support its infantry units. MaxDefense sources confirmed that the requirement for self-propelled artillery to support mechanized and future armored formations was just temporarily shelved due to the more pressing needs to improve its current artillery formations. The military prefers to improve its mechanized and armored capability first before getting self-propelled artillery to support these units.

So we may not see the procurement of self-propelled artillery systems like the Elbit Systems Soltam ATMOS 2000, which was discussed earlier in another MaxDefense blog. Expect such changes to happen considering the rocky state of the defense capability of the Philippines, wherein everything needs to be modernized.


The Verdict:
MaxDefense believes that with the limited budget allocated for each individual requirement (which was highlighted before in previous MaxDefense blog entries), it would be best for the DND and AFP to fund the most pressing needs of its current capabilities first before moving on to procure assets to make new capabilities. The PA's artillery formations is actually the most antiquated in the entire army, and its 155mm field artillery capability needs a boost as it lacks in numbers and is falling into obsolescence as well, and will need new systems to complement the current assets and ultimately replace them in the near future.

But both the PA & PMC must look ahead in the future as well. It is good news that the DND is actually looking at enhancing the M101 105mm howitzers of both services by refurbishment, improvement in manpower by enhanced training, and acquisition of computerized systems to improve accuracy, response time, and counter-fire capabilities. And it is also good to know that the DND has not yet shut its doors in considering used assets from friendly countries to boost the AFP's artillery capabilities with the limited budget they are getting. MaxDefense believes that these steps could actually speed up the improvements and must be pursued soon.

The M198 155mm howitzer from the US is still widely used globally, and there are several units that the US government can sell or transfer to the AFP if it decides to purchase or request. To boost the AFP's artillery capability without punching a hole on its pocket, getting used but refurbished assets like what Thailand does is a good alternative.
Photo taken from Wikimedia.

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