The Philippines has approved BrahMos Aerospace’s proposal worth $374 million for the sale of shore-based anti-ship missile system to the island nation’s Navy.
“I recently signed the Notice of Award for the Philippine Navy shore-based anti-ship missile acquisition project. Negotiated with the Government of India, it includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package,” Delfin Lorenzana, Secretary of National Defence of Philippines, said in a Facebook post.
The Philippines government’s Department of National Defense also posted a copy of the contract award notice on its website.
“This is to inform you that the proposal of BrahMos Aerospace Private Ltd. For the shore based anti-ship missile system acquisition project for the Philippine Navy, with a corresponding price proposal in the amount of $374,962,800 is hereby accepted,” the notice stated.
BrahMos Aerospace has been asked to carry out performance security which is similar to the security deposit that means a financial guarantee that the company needs to furnish as the successful tenderer for the due performance of the contract that already has been carried out.
This is a landmark win for India’s Defence Industrial complex in a global competition. The Indian offer is supported by Russia, which has developed the 290-km missile with India and continues to supply key played parts, notably the engine which powers Brahmos to Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound.
This will be amongst the most significant Indian exports of offensive military equipment to an ASEAN country and marks a big moment in India’s Act East Policy. This marks the success of Indian outreach efforts to countries similarly threatened by Chinese expansionism.
Negotiated with the Government of India, 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,” the Secretary stated.
“The Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippine Marines will be the primary employer of this modern strategic defense capability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Secretary Lorenzana added. There’s often been tension in the waters around Philippines because of aggressive Chinese naval presence and its territorial claims over the Spratly Islands.
BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russian joint venture, produces the supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.
Brahmos missile regiments are deployed by India close to the borders where it faces threat of external aggression. It is the world’s fastest cruise missile, which with its manoeuvre capability is virtually impossible to intercept. It’s high level of accuracy is also proven.
An Indian delegation was slated to visit Manila to sign the contract, which is for the shore-based variant of the anti-ship missile system and it will bolster Philippines’ defence capability amid increasing Chinese aggression.
In November, Chinese coast guard ships blocked and used water cannons on two Philippines supply boats heading to a disputed shoal occupied by Filipino marines in the South China Sea. This led to a warning from the Philippines government that its vessels are covered under a mutual defence treaty with the United States.
In December, Philippines’ budget department issued two special allotment release orders (SARO) — worth Peso 1.3 billion (Rs 190 crore) and Peso 1.535 billion (Rs 224 crore). The SARO allows the country’s Department of National Defence to finalise contracts for military hardware.
Negotiations for BrahMos between India and the Philippines had been going on for the last few years, but hit a roadblock in December 2020, with Manila citing budgetary limitations caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2021, India signed a key enabling pact with the Philippines that had paved the way for government-to-government deals on defence equipment, including BrahMos.
Apart from the Philippines, Vietnam could be the next BrahMos export customer as talks between the two countries have progressed. India has offered BrahMos to countries that have been facing increasing Chinese maritime adventurism in areas of the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region.
Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the BrahMos Aerospace Limited recently while speaking to the media had said that as per NATO’s studies only Two BrahMos hits can sink any big class of warships and smaller warships can be taken down by one BrahMos hit.
Advanced variant tested
On 11 January, India successfully test-fired a naval variant of the advanced supersonic BrahMos cruise missile from a stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said the missile hit the designated target “precisely”. “Advanced sea to sea variant of BrahMos Supersonic Cruise missile was tested from INS Visakhapatnam today. Missile hit the designated target ship precisely,” the DRDO tweeted.
