MANILA (PNA) -- The Mechanized Infantry Division (MID) on Thursday will formally receive and commission the 114 M-113A2 armored personnel carriers (APCs) acquired through the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA).
This was disclosed by Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao in an interview Wednesday.
The first 77 units were shipped on December 9, 2015 while the remaining 37 units were delivered on December 14, 2015.
The 114 M-113A2 will be formally turned over to Army commander Lt. Gen. Eduardo Ano who will then hand it to MID head Major Gen. Edgar Gonzales during short ceremonies in Camp O' Donnell, Capas, Tarlac Thursday.
All weapons, radios and other equipment of these APCs are installed, making them mission-capable.
"These equipment will be brought down the line to complete the Table of Equipment (TOE) (of all MID battalions)and will enhance our speed (of deployment) and our personnel protection," the Army spokesperson said.
The MID has five mechanized battalion with the theoretical TOE of 36 armored vehicles each.
The EDA Program grants excess US military equipment, without cost, to qualified allied countries.
The transfer is a result of a formal request made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to assist in their defense modernization efforts.
The M-113A2 was developed to provide a survivable and reliable light tracked vehicle that allows troops to be brought forward under armor for dismounted operations.
Commissioning of these vehicles will greatly boost the numbers of the 343 armored vehicle-strong MID.
The AFP virtually got these additional armored assets for free saved for the shipping costs which amounted to PHP67.5 million and refitting of .50 caliber machine guns to the APCs.
(PNA)
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