THE Philippine Navy has recommended the acquisition of additional anti-submarine assets, including two frigates, to enhance its “modest” submarine detection capability.
“We have submitted proposals for (the acquisition of) two more frigates,” Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea spokesman, told a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.
Trinidad made the remarks days after the Navy detected a Russian submarine that passed the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea. On Monday, he said the ship came from a naval exercise with the Malaysian Navy and was waiting for the weather to improve before proceeding back to Russia.
The defense and military establishments are implementing the AFP’s modernization program aimed at enhancing the country’s external defense capabilities.
Trinidad said the Navy has seen the need to acquire surface and sub-surface assets “years ago.”
“That’s why in our (AFP modernization program) Re-horizon 3, that already includes more corvettes, more ships, and other anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” he said.
The warships that the Navy has proposed to acquire are capable of various types of operations on land, sea, and air. They are on top of two frigates, two corvettes, and six off-shore patrol vessels that are already in the construction pipeline.
Trinidad said the Navy currently has “modest capabilities to detect underwater threats, minimal capabilities.” Among the anti-submarine assets in the Navy inventory are two frigates, a corvette, and two anti-submarine helicopters.
“Our underwater, undersea warfare capability is still modest. It is still ongoing development,” he said.
On acquiring sound surveillance systems to enhance submarine detection, Trinidad said, “The broad program is to develop the AFP’s capability for undersea warfare. Undersea warfare is a complex mix of different capabilities, details of which I could not divulge yet.”
“But we leave it up to the Department of National Defense what particular capability for undersea warfare we would prioritize,” he added.
Trinidad also said the Navy’s submarine acquisition program, including acquisition of at least two submarines, “is now at the Department of National Defense level.”
On the Russian submarine, Trinidad yesterday said it was detected after it surfaced off Occidental Mindoro last November 28. Also sighted in the area were a rescue tug and a support vessel.
He said the submarine was “mostly likely” out to receive fuel, charge it batteries, and undergo minor repairs.
The military has said there was nothing illegal in the passage of the submarine, adding it was merely exercising its right of freedom of navigation.
On the President’s statement that the sighting of the submarine was “worrisome,” Trinidad said, “The worry, the concern, the alarm was on the first instance of detecting a submarine.”
“It’s not every day that you detect a submarine in your EEZ (exclusive economic zone). It is understandable that even our men monitoring our sensors were surprised why there was a submarine (in the area),” added Trinidad.
