ARMY’S CRUCIAL SHIFT TO ARMOR, ARTILLERY
PA quietly builds up capability to respond to internal and territorial threats
WHILE the bulk of the ongoing modernization projects has gone deservedly to the Navy and Air Force due to their external defense commitments, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through the Philippine Army (PA), has been quietly building up its artillery and armor units as it gradually shifts from its internal security role to its territorial protection mandate.
As military professionals have learned through past decades, properly led, supplied and motivated artillery and armored forces have proven to be very decisive on the battlefield, as proven by campaigns in World War II in North Africa and Europe.
In the Philippine setting, the decision of the PA was to create more brigade combat teams, or BCTS, to fight and neutralize various threats.
The First BCT, or 1BCT, which was activated on December 9, 2018, and based in Sulu, is the first of such units that is expected to be able to move fast and decisively. It is considered the PA’S primary combined arms and rapid deployment unit.
BCTS are planned to be modern combined arms teams that would consist of infantry, mechanized, artillery, and aviation and special operations units that would allow for the utilization of land power maneuver concept and of its capabilities to defeat current and emerging security threats.
Highlighting the importance of the BCT concept is the fact that “Salaknib” exercises with the US Army Pacific Forces (USARPAC) are geared at boosting the capabilities of the 1BCT.
Salaknib, which means shield in Ilocano, is an annual combined exercise geared at strengthening the interoperability of Filipino and American armies in a spectrum of military operations.
About 2,200 Filipino and US Army troops participated in last year’s edition of Salaknib, which took place in March. These troops focused on the capability development of the 1BCT, the PA’S primary combined arms and rapid deployment unit.
In its 2023 iteration, more than 3,000 Filipino and American troops will be participating. These exercises will take place in Central and Northern Luzon and in Mindanao.
Artillery, the king of battle
WHILE initiatives to train and create more BCTS are now under way, the Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) activated last June 22 the 10th Field Artillery Battalion, which is equipped with 12 brandnew Autonomous Truck-mounted Howitzer System (ATMOS) 155-mm/52-caliber self-propelled artillery pieces.
These howitzers were acquired from Israeli defense company Elbit Systems with the PA receiving the weapons in December 2021. PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad earlier said the ATMOS 155-mm howitzer system is a “shoot-andscoot” weapon that can be rapidly deployed on rugged terrain.
“The weapon incorporates an ‘inertial navigation system’ (Ins)based gun-laying method and an automatic loader,” he added. The ATMOS 155-mm has a maximum range of 40 kilometers depending on the type of ammunition.
These howitzers are worth P2.4 billion and were acquired under Horizon 2 of the AFP Modernization Program. The ATMOS 155-mm will augment the existing towed 155-mm howitzers still being operated by the AAR.
Eight units of the ATMOS 155-mm were deployed to conflict areas in Mindanao in September of last year.
Army gets 15 armored mortar carriers
IN line with this development, the Armor Division got a much needed boost in its offensive capabilities with the delivery of 15 M125A2 armored mortar carriers (AMCS), which are equipped with 120-mm mounted mortar systems (MMS).
Trinidad said these AMCS were delivered on December 29, 2021, and were also sourced from the Israeli firm Elbit Systems. It was successfully deployed in 2022 after passing technical inspection and acceptance committee inspection.
The AMCS are under Horizon 2 of the Revised AFP Modernization Program and acquired under the Army’s mounted mortar acquisition project.
“The new AMCS are part of the PA’S modernization project that will capacitate the country’s land force’s credible defense posture from various threats, local and international,” he said.
The Cardom 120-mm recoil mortar system mounted on the M125A2 AMC has an autonomous, computerized system with a range of 7,000 meters and a maximum fire rate of 16 rounds per minute operated by four crewmen.
The US Army, the Israeli Defense Force and Nato countries use the AMCS with MMS. These new armor assets will beef up the PA’S capability to deal with constantly evolving threats.
“With the realization of upcoming big-ticket modernization projects, the Philippine Army is on track to becoming a formidable and adaptive force capable of responding to a multitude of conventional and unconventional threats,” Trinidad said.
The AMCS are expected to provide close and immediate indirect fire support for maneuver units while quickly deploying in tactical situations.
Armor Division gets 1st Sabrah light tank
MEANWHILE, the PA’S Armor Division in December got its first Sabrah light tank out of the 20 or
dered from Elbit Systems.
The platform was displayed during the 87th founding anniversary of the AFP, which also took place last month.
“One Sabrah light tank based on the ASCOD platform mounted with 105-mm cannon as the main armament and coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun was one of the Armor ‘Pambato’ Division’s newest assets that paraded over the 87th founding anniversary of the AFP on December 19, 2022, at the General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City,” the Armor Division said in a Facebook post.
The tank is now undergoing rigorous testing before being accepted for service. The Armor Division is expected to receive another 19 Sabrah light tanks and 10 Pandur II wheeled armored vehicles from Steyr-daimler-puch between 2023 and 2024.
These tanks will man the newly activated 1st Tank Battalion of the Armor Division. The PA’S light tank acquisition project is under Horizon 2 of the Revised AFP Modernization Program.
The contract is worth around P9.4 billion and was acquired via government-to-government mode.
Earlier, Army chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the service’s ongoing modernization efforts are allowing its units to help the AFP in fulfilling its mandate of protecting the nation and the people, including in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.
“Moreover, the command installed 234 very small aperture terminals in remote patrol bases to provide connectivity to troops and outlying communities. To deal with emerging threats, the command activated units such as the 10th Field Artillery Battalion (SP155), cyber battalion, five installation management battalions and three infantry battalions. It also reactivated the 1st Tank Battalion which will serve as the mother unit of existing and upcoming tank assets of the PA,” he added.