To defend our seas, get missiles, not ships

WHEN asked in the Senate last week what the Philippine Navy needed to watch over our maritime territories Rear Admiral Robert Empedrad said four more frigates like the two ordered from Hyundai Heavy Industries, costing P15.7 billion.

the Navy can watch over our vast from our territorial baseline, and our Philippine Rise. That’s based on the

That’s six ships to patrol waters - Philippines itself. No way six frigates are enough to watch over our seas, let alone engage the larger and more heavily armed ships of rival claimants, backed by submarines, warplanes and missiles.

In fact, when a leading Washington defense think-tank, the Center for allies to help us acquire not frigates, but maritime surveillance planes to watch our waters, anti-ship missiles to deter and destroy intruders, and anti-aircraft systems to protect the missiles.

We need A2/AD

of the Philippines” called these military threats from entering vast expanses,

The think-tank’s thinking isn’t hard out. In just hours, planes cover much larger areas than a ship can in a day, and their radar and other surveillance of most vessels at sea level.

Anti-ship projectiles can take out anything on the ocean even several hundreds of kilometers away. That’s more than enough to cover the entire - missiles can be deployed, blanketing sticking out in the open ocean.

And while warplanes with cruise missiles can sink ships while out of range of their defenses, enemy aircraft rocket batteries concealed in vegetation. Plus: anti-aircraft systems can hit the jets even before they get close enough to line up targets.

recommendations is that they would provide far greater deterrence and surveillance capability for far less than the

This is the real naval defense issue that senators should have looked into, not the fake news claiming Palace meddling in the frigates contract.

(The other issue is the frigates contract provision allowing shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries to select the Navy if it chose another. Aquino-era must explain why he urged his successor to sign the HHI deal despite this PN-opposed condition.)

More bang for the buck

cost of six frigates? Going by the to buy should be marine patrol aircraft. Luckily, Japan has kindly Beechcraft- design MPAs.

The Navy should add surveillancecapable versions of planes like the (also made by Indonesia’s aircraft

Less costly planes to consider are - including ancillary facilities.

Academy graduate, has long urged made in India from a Russian design. each. Last year India agreed to sell the BrahMos to Vietnam.

reportedly planning to buy longrange missiles, which could also - aid, we may consider buying the

price. All are truck-mounted, to be moved anywhere there are threats. And since adversaries don’t know which

defense and small, fast missile craft boats. The patrol boats can confront intruders at sea, but with shore-based - power against even large warships.

Now, which can monitor our vast seas more effectively, and pose greater risk to intruders: six frigates with -

Why the Navy likes ships

would take far more information the right judgment. But what we need to remove right now are a couple of blinders blocking clear military thinking.

First, the Navy should avoid being wedded to ships because it thinks and the Army. There is no reason why marine patrol aircraft and anti-ship missiles securing our seas should not be part of PN assets, along with frig PAF and PA get in the way of the real

And the other policy block is Amer guess, but maybe, just maybe, if we have rockets, planes and boats to watch our waters on our own, we might not let the