Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff, General Romeo Brawner Jr. is proposing the creation of a permanent Army unit that will be in charge of a cruise missile system for the military.
Brawner said, “in the Philippine Army, for instance, we are proposing for the creation of a missile regiment which will be the one in charge of maintaining and, later on if needed, firing these weapon systems.”
“Because of the new advent of technology in warfare, we will have to also adjust doctrines and our organization,” Brawner said in response to Senator Risa Hontiveros’ query about his flagship programs as the head of AFP during last Wednesday’s Commission on Appointments deliberation.
“For instance, because of the arrival of missile systems which we’ll be using to defend our territory from possible external aggression, we will have to create units that will be able to man these modern weapons,” he added.
During the incumbency of then AFP Chief, General Andres Centino in April 2022, the Philippine Navy inaugurated its on-shore missile operating battalion which will be using the Indian-made Brahmos supersonic missile as its main arsenal.
The Army also expressed interest in acquiring missile batteries as part of its land-based anti-ship missile system requirements, but this acquisition has yet to push through. Vince Lopez