Missile test fire ‘a success’

POWER PACKED The Philippine Navy’s Rafael Spike ER (left) and the Mini Typhoon RCWS Browning M2.50-caliber machine gun. —PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAX DEFENSE PHILIPPINES AND RAFAEL ADS

The Philippine Navy successfully tested on Thursday its newly acquired missile capability on its multipurpose attack craft (MPAC).

Commander Jonathan Zata, the Navy spokesperson, said the sea acceptance test (SAT), held in Lamao Point, Bataan province, for the Rafael Spike ER (extended range) missile system mounted on three Mark III MPAC was “a success.”

The test was supposed to have been witnessed by President Duterte but he was unable to attend it due to previous commitments.

The Navy said it would schedule within the month another live firing demonstration of the Spike ER missile for the commander in chief.

Mini Typhoon RCWS

On Thursday, Navy flag officer in command Vice Adm. Robert Empedrad, along with representatives from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Israeli manufacturer of the missile platform, as well as members of the Department of National Defense’s technical inspection and acceptance committee, witnessed the SAT for both the Mini Typhoon Remote Control Weapon System (RCWS) and the Spike-ER missile-launching system.

“The activity is necessary to test, inspect and accept the weapons and its systems in accordance with the contract for the final acceptance of the system,” Zeta said.

“A Spike ER missile was fired and accurately hit the designated target at [a distance of] approximately 6 kilometers from the firing platform,” he added.

Zeta said the target was “hit dead center” even if the sea state condition was “moderately rough” with at least meter- high waves.

Contract with Rafael

The Navy entered into a contract with Rafael through the International Defense Cooperation Directorate of the Israel Ministry of Defense for the supply and integration of the weapon systems, worth P594.320 million, on the MPACs.

The missile system was fired from the MPAC with hull number BA-491, according to the authoritative defense website MaxDefense Philippines.

The three attack craft were built by a joint venture between Propmech Corp. and Lung Teh Shipbuilding Corp. at a cost of P268.9 million.

Each MPAC has a Mini Typhoon RCWS armed with a Browning M2.50-caliber machine gun, and a Typhoon MLS-ER launcher, MaxDefense said.

The Spike-ER system arrived in the country in April. The missiles are capable of piercing a 39-inch rolled homogenous armor and have a maximum range of 8 kilometers.