Lorenzana wants more modern radars to beef up PHL maritime domain situational awareness

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is keen to get more modern radar systems to improve the country’s maritime domain situational awareness capability. (Photo: Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Flickr)

MANILA—Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is keen to get more modern radar systems to improve the country’s maritime domain situational awareness capability.

Such capability is needed in the Sulu and Celebes Se+a, which is being threatened by piracy and kidnapping attacks from Abu Sayyaf and other lawless elements, and the eastern seaboard of the Philippines where incidents of poaching and intrusions are rife.

Lorenzana said he planned to include the acquisition of modern radars in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program’s Second Horizon.

Maritime domain situational awareness refers to the capability to detect, monitor and if necessary, drive away intruding water craft from one’s territorial waters.

The AFP Modernization Program is divided into three horizons, with the first lasting from 2013 to 2017, the second from 2018 to 2022 and third 2023 to 2028.

The Second Horizon calls for the acquisition of equipment more attuned to external defense missions and has a programmed funding of around Php 100 billion.