PH Navy to Get US-Donated Radar System

21 Agustus 2017

Thetered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) (photo : Robcrimmins, image : Leaksource)

MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) will formally take possession of its first-ever tethered aerostat radar system (TARS) donated by the US government.

The turnover ceremony will be led by US Embassy in Manila’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Michael Klecheski, and PN flag-officer-in-command, Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado, at the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales on Tuesday.

Navy spokesperson, Capt. Lued Lincuna, said the TARS, a self-sustained, unmanned lighter-than-air systems, would 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.

It 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. 

(PNA)