Philippines moves to acquire submarines

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that Manila is looking to acquire submarines in order to boost defense and security.

According to Lorenzana, the acquisition of submarines is part of the country’s ongoing military modernization program under President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Submarines are part of the third horizon [year 2023 to 2027], but we are looking now [for suppliers]. We are looking at [South] Korea, Russia and other countries,” he said, noting that construction of a submarine usually lasts up to 10 years.

Nevertheless, the idea of the Philippines developing its own submarine capability is no longer new. In the 1990s, the Philippine government has studied the issue and taken some steps towards reaching this long-term goal.

Furthermore, in 2013, a submarine office was set up after the country’s neighbors — including Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand — moved to acquire submarines or upgrade their military capabilities.

Lorenzana even emphasized this fact, suggesting that the Philippines needed to pursue its submarine capabilities because its neighbors already have submarines.

Nevertheless, the country still faces some challenges such as its lack of basic capabilities including inadequate maritime domain awareness, as well as internal and external threats that must be confronted. These constraints can, however, be addressed by selecting more cost-effective equipment suppliers or seeking assistance from partners and allies.

via The Diplomat / Prashanth Parameswaran