PH Navy to receive radar system from US

The United States government is donating a Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) to the Philippine military to improve its maritime intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities.

Philippine Navy (PN) spokesman Capt. Lued Lincuna said the radar system is expected to arrive on Tuesday at the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) in San Antonio, Zambales.

“It is expected to enhance the PN’s capability in maritime intelligence surveillance reconnaissance by effectively detecting maritime and air traffic within the country’s coastal waters using sensors,” said Lincuna.

The TARS is an unmanned and selfsustained lighter-than-aircraft system which is primarily used for surveillance.

It can rise to an altitude of 15,000 feet but would remain stationary as it is tethered by a cable on the ground.

The use of TARS is seen to be very important in the archipelagic country like the Philippines as it could provide details on the presence of aircrafts and vessels in coastal areas.

Aside from poaching issue, smuggling of illegal drugs and other contrabands is also a big problem in the country.

Lincuna, however, said that the TARS that will be donated will also be used in the conduct of humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.

“The TARS includes a weather station that provides telemetry data to the ground station for the monitoring of ambient temperature, pressure, wind speed and other pertinent parameters in the operation of the system,” he said.

The turnover ceremony is expected to be attended by US Deputy Embassy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Michael Klescheski and Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command, Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph S. Mercado.