Manila: A shipment comprising 77 used armoured personnel carriers arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday with more expected in the coming days, the US Embassy announced on Thursday.
The tracked vehicles that arrived at the former US naval base in Subic, Zambales, are part of the total 114 M113 A2 Armoured Personnel Carriers that will be handed over to the Philippines as part of military aid covered by the Excess Defence Articles (EDA) programme.
“The EDA Programme grants excess US military equipment from the US, without cost, to qualified allied countries. The transfer is a result of a formal request made by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) to assist in their defence modernisation efforts,” the Embassy said.
The vehicles were given to the Philippines as the US shifts to the use of the more modern Bradley armoured fighting vehicles.
The shipment of 114 M113 APCs is the single largest tranche of transferred armoured assets to the Philippines.
The vehicles will join the hundreds of assorted armoured personnel carriers currently in service with the country’s military.
Last September, the Philippines received 28, surplus M113 APCs from the US. Six of the newly arrived refurbished armoured vehicles were fitted with remotely operated machine guns that allow the operator to fire at targets, while inside the safety of the APC.
It is not yet known if the vehicles will be fitted with rockets, but other countries use the M113 as a mobile platform for mortars and guided missiles such as the TOW.
Some of the M113’s transferred by the US to the Philippines had been converted to fit tank turrets from the British made Scorpion tanks that the country had been using for some time.
The M113-Scorpion hybrid are fitted with 76mm cannons.
The Philippines sources much of its defence hardware from surplus US hand-me-downs. The country’s two biggest naval ships, the frigates BRP Artemio Ricarte and Gregorio del Pilar were former US Coast Guard vessels. A third similar class vessel is expected to arrive in the Philippines this year.
The hardware transfers are indicative of the increasing military ties between the Philippines and the United States as well as Japan, South Korea and Australia.
Last week, the government welcomed nine brand new aircraft into its air arm.
President Benigno Aquino in ceremonies at the Villamor Air Base outside Manila, inaugurated two new T50 trainer jets — part of the total 12 that will serve as fighter/attack aircraft that will serve as the backbone of the country’s air defence.
The new aircraft, which also includes C-295 medium lift cargo plane, and six Agusta-Westland AW-109E attack helicopters, arrives amid increased tensions between the Philippines and China over several territories in the South China Sea.
