Asian Defence News1

Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Newly Activated Philippine Coastal Defense Regiment Showcases Future Capabilities including Brahmos

Coastal Defense Regiment (CDR) will handle land-based anti-ship and anti-aircraft capabilities of the Philippine Navy (photo : PMC)

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City - Philippine Marine Corps Commandant, MGen. Ariel R. Caculitan PN(M), visited the newly activated PMC Coastal Defense Regiment (CDR) on January 05, 2021.For the SBASMS (Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System), the Philippine Navy is eyeing BrahMos cruise missile system (photo : idrw)

The PMC CDR was activated on August 07, 2020 under the Philippine Navy’s Defense Capability Program that aims to enhance and improve our capability on sea control based on the concepts of anti-access and area denial to maintain territorial integrity, assert our sovereignty over our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and extended continental shelf, and protect our Sea Lines of Communications (SLOCs).

The CDR, headed by Col. Romulo D. Quemado II PN(M) (GSC), is designed to protect our shores, ships, and amphibious task forces against an invading enemy and to improve our littoral capabilities in support of our naval operations.For the SBADMS (Shore-Based Air Defense Missile System), the candidates are Rafael SPYDER, Raythoen-Kongsberg NASAMS and LIGNex1 KM-SAM Cheolmae II (photo : Rafael)

During the visit, the commandant witnessed the unit’s capability demonstration. Coastal defense is one of the Major Capabilities that the Marines will focus on as an integral part of the Philippine Navy’s Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy.

Latest Changes on the Ship 18 Pohang-class Corvettes of Vietnam

The latest image of the 18-class Pohang submarine hunting corvettes of the Vietnam Navy has shown the difference in weapons and equipment.

As is known, Ship 18 was the first Pohang to be handed over to Vietnam by the Korean side, but unlike Ship 20, its weapon configuration was reduced when there was only one Oto Melara Compact 76.2 mm cannon, 1 Dardo twin caliber 40 mm cannon and a 20 mm Sea Vulcan quick-firing gun dock.After the trials of Ship 20 were fitted with the KT-184 launch tubes of the 3M24 Uran-E anti-ship cruise missile, there was speculation that Ship 18 would soon integrate this weapon.

At the time of November 2019, the image of Ship 18 appeared, after undergoing modernization, the KT-184 launcher can be easily seen installed on board at the same position as for Ship 20.However, according to the assessment, the mounted launchers are only the first step that is the test of the balance for the ship, the future will require the addition of fire control radar and most importantly the integration of Kh-35 Uran-E missiles entered the combat management system.After a period of more than 1 year, in the latest report released by the Naval Television Channel, Ship 18 appeared with a new look, that the rear KT-184 launchers were removed, the ship returned, with the original function of patrol and anti-submarine warfare.

It is not clear why Ship 18 removed the KT-184 launcher, as well as whether the same configuration still applies on Ship 20, but it should be emphasized that integrating Russian-origin missiles and radars. Korean-made warships with a "different" general management system is not easy.