C-Guard to Protect Philippine Frigates

02 November 2017

C-Guard decoy launchers (photo : Terma)

Denmark-based Terma Group will equip the Philippine Navy’s future frigates with its C-Guard decoy launchers, which will assist in the protection of the strategic assets.

The company will deliver a total of four launchers, two per frigate. Each launcher has six tubes, the DL-6T Launcher variant, and uses 130mm NATO decoy rounds to protect against threats including RF, IR, dual seeker and torpedo threats.

The C-Guard solution has been thoroughly evaluated by the Philippine Navy.

A company spokesperson said that the same system was also being commissioned in Thailand soon, although they could not disclose more details.

More than 200 C-Guard systems are currently in operation worldwide on platforms ranging from patrol vessels to frigates.

The company also has its Surface Surveillance Radar Scanter 4100 in operations with the Royal Thai Navy’s Landing Platform Dock (LPD), which also utilises the C-Guard. The Indonesian Navy’s Fatahillah-class corvettes have also been equipped with the Scanter 4100 radar.

The C-Guard algorithm is able to calculate the heat dissemination of flare decoys and in combination with chaff decoys obscure the IR image of a naval vessel. The system is able to provide 360-degree coverage against threats.

In October 2016 Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) signed a contract to build two 2,600t frigates for the Philippine Navy under a PHP15.7 billion (US$337 million) contract. The new frigates will be 107m long and have a 12m beam.

The new frigates will be capable of anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare as well as being tasked with electronic warfare missions.

The vessels will be able to accommodate helicopters up to the 12t class, including the AW159 Wildcat, which the Philippine Navy awarded a contract to Leonardo for in April 2016.

Two RHIBs will also be fitted to the frigates and handover of the first ship is expected in 2020. 

(Shephard)