Brahmos Missiles Delivery to Start within 1 Year: Lorenzana

20 Januari 2022

Brahmos shore-based anti-ship missile system (photo : Frances Mangosing)

MANILA – The delivery of the Indian-made medium-range ramjet supersonic Brahmos cruise missiles for the Philippine Navy (PN)'s Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project is expected to start within a year's time.

"First delivery is estimated in one year," Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a message to the Philippines News Agency over the weekend, when asked for updates on the weapons' acquisition.

Lorenzana said the DND is expected to release and sign the contract with Brahmos Aerospace Private Ltd. in January.

"The contract is being finalized. We hope to sign it this month," he added.

A rough estimation of how much area Phillipines can dominate by deploying BrahMos (image : VinodDX9)

The Brahmos project is worth USD374,962,800 (around PHP19 billion).

Meanwhile, PN spokesperson, Commander Benjo Negranza, in an interview Monday, said the Brahmos missile project would enhance their capability to defend the country.

"The (Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System Acquisition Project) is a big capability enhancement for the end-user," he added.

On December 31, Lorenzana signed the Notice of Award for the Navy Brahmos' acquisition project and is a government-to-government deal signed with India.

Brahmos missile trajectory (image : rhk111)

"It includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package. Conceptualized as early as 2017, the Office of the President approved its inclusion in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020," he added.

The acquisition program for the Brahmos, he said, would push through after the DND and India's Defense Ministry signed on March 2, 2021, the implementing agreement concerning the procurement of defense material and equipment.

"As of now, it is a go. The implementing agreement recently signed will facilitate the G2G (government-to-government) mode of procurement," Lorenzana said.

A missile battery typically consists of three mobile autonomous launchers with two or three missile tubes each, along with the tracking systems. Lorenzana said the Philippine Marine Corps' Coastal Defense Regiment will be the primary user of the Brahmos missile system.

See full article PNA