AFP plans to acquire anti-sub capabilities
PHILIPPINE Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was planning to acquire a sophisticated undersea warfare system capable of detecting intruding submarines. "The broad program is to develop the AFP's capability for undersea warfare," Trinidad said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday. Currently, Trinidad said the AFP monitors foreign submarine intrusions using an AW 159 helicopter equipped with integrated avionics and mission systems. AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said procuring diesel-electric submarines was part of the military's ongoing modernization program, following the detection of a Russian submarine off the coast of Mindoro on Nov. 28. Trinidad said the Russian sub was detected 80 nautical miles off Lubang Island. "It is understandable that even our men monitoring our sensors were surprised why there was a submarine," Trinidad said, noting the incident necessitated the sending of aircraft and a frigate to the area to conduct visual confirmation. The Russian vessel left the country's territorial waters on Monday. Trinidad said under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, submarines or ships need not seek permission when transiting the exclusive economic zone of a particular state. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described the surprising presence of the Russian submarine as "worrisome."
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
PHILIPPINE Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) was planning to acquire a sophisticated undersea warfare system capable of detecting intruding submarines.
"The broad program is to develop the AFP's capability for undersea warfare," Trinidad said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.
Currently, Trinidad said the AFP monitors foreign submarine intrusions using an AW 159 helicopter equipped with integrated avionics and mission systems.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said procuring diesel-electric submarines was part of the military's ongoing modernization program, following the detection of a Russian submarine off the coast of Mindoro on Nov. 28.
Trinidad said the Russian sub was detected 80 nautical miles off Lubang Island.
"It is understandable that even our men monitoring our sensors were surprised why there was a submarine," Trinidad said, noting the incident necessitated the sending of aircraft and a frigate to the area to conduct visual confirmation.
The Russian vessel left the country's territorial waters on Monday.
Trinidad said under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, submarines or ships need not seek permission when transiting the exclusive economic zone of a particular state.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described the surprising presence of the Russian submarine as "worrisome."
