The United States donated a ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System to the Philippine Navy. The equipment aims to improve the military’s maritime domain awareness and border security capabilities.
Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kimberly Kelly and representatives from the US Embassy in the Philippines Joint US Military Assistance Group endorsed the unmanned aerial system to Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo at Naval Base Heracleo Alano in Sangley Point, Cavite.
The Philippines Navy’s new unmanned aerial system was worth P710 million or $14.79 million, the US Embassy said.
Bacordo said the ScanEagle UAS could expand the coverage of the Navy’s patrol operations.
“You know our President is very supportive of our modernization efforts and we have all long dreamed to become a modern, a strong and capable Philippine Navy so whatever missions that we are capable of before, with this system, it will expand the coverage of all these missions whether it is for internal security operations, for territorial defense, for HADR or even just for maritime law enforcement operations,” Bacordo said.
US donates ScanEagle Unmanned Aerial System to Philippine Navy
“In the area of territorial defense, it will expand our horizon, let’s say if one ship can patrol a certain area in 24 hours… with this system, we can cover that same area may be in just about four hours instead of the usual 24 hours patrols,’ he added.
Bacordo added the system could also help during response efforts after strong typhoons’ onslaught.
“With this system, we can have this airborne already and have the rapid damage and needs analysis so that our HADR responders can already proceed to the areas where they are most needed,” he said.
US Embassy said the ScanEagle UAS would provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to the AFP 71st Maritime Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron (71 MUARS) of the Philippine Fleet’s Naval Air Wing.
Philippine Fleet chief Rear Admiral Loumer Bernabe said the ScanEagle UAS would help the Navy in the “effective assessment of subject areas, timely decision-making, and prompt action in the conduct of territorial defense, internal security operations as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations.”