P2.39 Billion SARO Released for Acquisition of Israeli Air Defense System

05 Juli 2020

SPYDER Ground based air defence (photo : Rafael)

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved a Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) with amount of PHP 2,396,362,500.00 for the Department of National Defense (DND)’s Ground-Based Air Defense System (GBADS) Acquisition Project under the Revised AFP Modernization Program on June 9, 2020.

The SARO (SARO-BMB-D-20-0011482) was released June 11, 2020. SARO is an authorization issued by DBM to an agency allowing to incur obligation for specified amounts contained in a legislative appropriation.

DBM first released a SARO related to the GBADS Acquisition Project for Philippine Air Force (PAF) on June 6, 2019 to “cover the FY 2019 cost for the implementation of Ground-Based Air Defense System Acquisition Project under the Revised AFP Modernization Program.”

In July 2019, former PAF commander commanding general Lieutenant General Rozzano D. Briguez said that Secretary of National Defense (SND) Delfin Lorenzana has approved the Notice of Award (NOA) for the GBADS Acquisition Project.

In January 2019, Secretary Lorenzana confirmed to state-run news agency PNA that Philippines will acquire the SPYDER (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) air defense system developed by Israeli Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.

In December 2018, former PAF commanding general Lieutenant General Galileo Gerard Kintanar Jr. said that the deal for acquisition of 3 GBADS from Israel is nearing conclusion.

(Mintfo)