The Philippine Air Force (PAF) confirmed that it has submitted a proposal for the acquisition of Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEWACS) designed to enhance the country’s airspace surveillance and defense capabilities.
“The PAF has proposed to higher offices the possible acquisition of the AEWACS and is part of our Re-Horizon H3 proposed capability list,” PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo said.
“The AEWACS provides airborne surveillance, command, control, and communications capabilities, enabling a comprehensive air battle management system,” Castillo said.
Castillo declined however, to give more details, deferring to the Department of National Defense (DND), on the matter.
“We defer to the DND on the details for the said acquisition,” she said.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said he wants the proposed multi-role fighters (MRF) program to proceed as a full package with “airborne warning and control,” as well as aerial tankers for mid-air refuelling platforms.
Having these devices will ensure that the MRF program, once acquired, would be “operational as a force package,” he added.
This means that the country’s MRFs, if deployed for missions, must be able to demonstrate its capabilities to the maximum.
“It is not only the purchase of the MRF per se which we need to deal with but also to make the MRFs operational as a force package, meaning to say we need the AWACS capability. A lot of countries have experienced the fact that they are realizing that they need AWACS, notwithstanding the fact that their satellite capability is not enough,” Teodoro said.
AWACS, also known as AEWCS, are typically large aircraft equipped with airborne radar systems designed for early warning and long-range detection of hostile aircraft, ships, vehicles, and missiles.
These aircraft also play a crucial role in guiding friendly fighter and attack aircraft to their targets, functioning as airborne radar pickets and surveillance platforms.
In addition to these, Teodoro emphasized the need for the Philippines to acquire aerial refueling tankers to support the planned multi-role fighters. This capability would significantly extend the operational range of these aircraft.
Aerial tankers are large planes capable of refueling fighter and attack aircraft mid-air using a probe-and-drogue system.
