THE Philippines has contracted Anglo-Italian defense contractor Augusta Westland to deliver two anti-submarine helicopters, worth P5.4 billion, to be used with the two brand-new frigates the government is planning to buy from India.
Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo announced the placement of the order as President Benigno Aquino III said the country is studying the possibility of operating a submarine fleet to help protect its territory in the disputed South China Sea.
Manalo said the order for the two AW159 Wildcat helicopters was signed Wednesday by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Stefano Bortoli of AugustaWestland.
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Manalo said the first of the two AW159 Wildcat helicopters is expected to be delivered in a little more than a year, in time for the expected delivery of the new frigates, worth about P18 billion, to be built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers of India.
“This is very timely,” Manalo said. “Many people have been saying we should have done it a long time ago. The anti-sub choppers will be onboard the frigates that we are acquiring.”
“This will definitely enhance the capability of the Philippine Navy. For the first time, we will have anti-submarine helicopters for our new frigates. For the first time too, we will have brand-new frigates,” Manalo added.
He did not specify what type of frigates are to be acquired becase the bidding process was still at the post-qualification stage and the contract has yet to be drafted.
“[But] the frigates [will] be built at the government-owned shipyard in India. They have not won [the contract] yet, but they are the lowest bidder so far,” Manalo said.
He said the process includes an inspection of the contractor’s construction facility as well as its legal and financial capability.
The acquisition of the new frigates has been in the pipeline since 2014 when India started exporting defense equipment to friendly nations.
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers will make 10-12 fast patrol boats for Vietnam, which, like the Philippines, is also protesting China’s provocations in international waters.
The Indian company said they have cost advantages over other defense suppliers because of cheap labour and sourcing of materials from within India.
The Kolkata-based shipyard has made 92 warships for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard is now gearing up to make three stealth frigates.
In addition, the firm is also building eight landing craft utility to carry tanks, armored vehicles and troops and three anti-submarine warfare corvettes are under construction.
Also on Wednesday, Aquino told reporters the country is accelerating the modernization of its armed forces to help protect its territory in the disputed South China Sea because Philippines could lose its entire west coast should China succeed in enforcing its claims.
“We’ve had to accelerate the modernisation of our armed forces for self-defence needs,” Aquino told reporters in Manila. “We are a natural transit point into the Pacific and we are now studying whether or not we do need a submarine force.”
Beijing has reclaimed more than 2,900 acres of land from the South China Sea in less than two years in an intensive island-building campaign, and has deployed surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island there, according to Taipei and Washington.
Aquino said the South China Sea dispute “concerns every country” since it could disrupt trade in the busy shipping lane, through which about a third of the world’s oil passes.
“The uncertainty breeds instability. Instability does not promote prosperity,” he said.
