WITHIN the next few months, commanders of the Philippine Navy (PN)’s two brand-new missile frigates will now have the airborne capability to deal with unknown submarines running submerged beneath the waves and intruding into the country’s vast maritime domain.
This, after an AgustaWestland (now Leonardo) AW-159 “Wildcat” anti-submarine helicopter successfully landed on the flight deck of BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) off Corregidor Island in late April.
helicopter landed aboard a Filipino warship.
“On the morning of 27 April 2023, the PN achieved another significant milestone in its development of anti-submarine warfare capability as the PN AW-159 Mk220 ‘Wildcat’ helicopter, with tail number NH-441, successfully conducted its first deck landing aboard BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151), an ASW (anti-submarine warfare) guided missile frigate, while underway at vicinity 30 nautical miles southwest of Corregidor Island,” the Philippine Navy posted on its Facebook page on May 4.
It noted that this achievement demonstrated the growing capability and readiness of the PN’s crews and platforms as a team for ASW operations.
“Both the JRCFs (Jose Rizal-class frigates) and the PN Wildcats were products of the 1st Horizon Projects under the Revised AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Modernization Program, which were delivered and commissioned into service in 2020/2021 and 2019, respectively. The JRCFs were built by Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea, while the PN Wildcats were built by Leonardo Helicopter Limited UK (LHUK),” the post further said.
The flight deck landings are part of the contracted in-country training with LHUK, which aims to see Wildcat pilots and aircrew proficient with their aircraft and its systems along with tactics for shipboard missions.
Included in the training are the proper use or “dipping” of the AW-159s’ flash sonar and other sensors used for submarine detection.
Dipping of flash sonar signifies that the helicopter is attempting to detect a submerged submarine or is in search for a submarine contact.
“The PN through the Naval Air Wing and Offshore Combat Force are taking steps to complete the integration of these game-changer assets in order to be deployed together in securing our maritime domain,” the post said.
It added these initiatives would contribute to fulfilling the PN’s vision of becoming a modern, multi-capable naval force responsive to our maritime nation’s defense and development.
The BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150), the Navy’s first guided missile frigate, and its sister ship BRP Antonio Luna are modern warships capable of surface, subsurface, air and electronic warfare using state-of-the-art electronic sensors, long-range missiles, acoustic-guided torpedoes and embarked anti-submarine helicopters.
The BRP Jose Rizal was delivered to the Philippines in May 2020 and commissioned in July that year, while the BRP Antonio Luna was commissioned on March 19, 2021.
The contract for the two ships was placed at P16 billion, with another P2 billion for weapons systems and munitions.
Also for AW-159 landings
MEANWHILE, BRP Jose Rizal is also qualified to land and receive on its flight deck the AW-159 helicopter, which is the ship’s partner in locating and hunting down hostile submarines.
“Traversing the path of fleet interoperability, Team FF-150 held deck landing qualification (DLQ) together with the ASW Wildcat helicopter AW-159 (NH-441) last 09 August 2022,” the PN said on its Facebook page.
The DLQ is a part of a series of flight deck operations to further test and improve existing procedures, check connectivity, system integration, and leveling of officers, pilots, sailors and aircrew on flight operations.
Before the actual deck landing, the ship’s crew and flight crew of the anti-submarine helicopter squadron had a series of lectures and workshops to ensure the preparedness and safety of personnel and flight deck equipment.
“This activity marks the beginning of warfare interoperability operations between our air and surface assets, which complements the detection and engagement capability of both units,” it added.
The activity concluded safely with no casualties and any faults from both platforms.
“As our Navy gears towards development and modernization, we ensure that our personnel [are] aligned with this innovation to sustain and adapt to the fast and growing naval warfare technology and optimize our assets to their full capability,” it added.
With the BRP Jose Rizal qualified for AW-159 operations, it is only a matter of time before the frigate will have a Wildcat land on its flight deck.
‘Wildcats’ delivered in 2019
THE PN’s two AW-159 anti-submarine helicopters were delivered on May 7, 2019, and commissioned on June 17 of the same year.
The aircraft were acquired for P5.4 billion, including its munitions, mission-essential equipment, and integrated logistic support.
Wildcats can be armed with rockets, machine guns, missiles, torpedoes and depth charges, and fitted with modern sonar systems for tracking down submarines.
The AW-159s were acquired to complement the JRCF’s ASW capabilities.
Missile, torpedo countermeasures
AS this developed, the PN announced that the two JRCFs are now equipped with countermeasures as protection for hostile missile and torpedo attacks.
This was after both frigates were equipped with the Rheinmetall Denel Munitions “Bullfighter” chaff decoys which are capable of misleading or misdirecting anti-ship missiles aimed at these vessels in the event of a conflict.
The PN on March 24 demonstrated its capability to decoy anti-ship missiles when its latest frigates fired their chaff in the waters off Zambales.
“The ‘Bullfighter’ is a new generation of 130mm decoys for super rapid blooming off-board chaff (SRBOC) and other 130mm launcher systems to protect naval vessels up to the size of frigates against anti-ship missiles,” PN spokesperson Captain Benjo Negranza said in a statement.
Chaff works by distracting radar-guided missiles from their targets by dispensing a small cloud of aluminum, metalized glass fiber or plastic which appears as a multiple cluster of targets in radar screens of the launching platforms.
“The payload of the chaff is effective against missiles with modern and sophisticated seekers and electronic protection measures,” Negranza pointed out.
The PN spokesperson said the acquisition of chaff countermeasure capability is part of the PN’s 2nd Horizon modernization program that aims to provide these ships the capability to defend themselves against “modern naval warfare threats.”
These capabilities are part of all incoming brand-new ship assets of the PN, including the two corvettes and six offshore patrol vessels now being built by South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.
In a Facebook post, the Navy said BRP Antonio Luna had the distinction of being the first ship to fire anti-ship missile decoys successfully.
“As insights, one of the unique identities of chaff and decoys as countermeasures against modern naval warfare threats is to confuse radar-guided or infrared-guided missiles fired so that they could be diverted. BRP Antonio Luna, as a guided missile frigate, has launchers with each tube set at slightly different angles, so at least one is covering every position of the ship. Once fired, they create a new fake ‘ship’ for the incoming missile, confusing it, and improving the defender’s odds of survival,” it added.
On the other hand, these two frigates are also reported to have received their anti-torpedo countermeasures from France’s Naval Group.
The system is based on the company’s “Canto/Contralto” anti-torpedo defensive system and will be installed into the two ships’ “C-Guard” launching system.
The PN is still to make an official announcement about this delivery but sources said these anti-torpedo countermeasures work by “generating a high-level acoustic signal over a 360-degree arc, covering the full frequency of the attacking torpedo.”
They also expressed confidence that the Navy will make public the installations of these defensive capabilities once it has successfully hurdled operational testing like the Bullfighter chaff decoy system.
Senator wants sub plan on hold
Meanwhile, as the PN is making steady progress on beefing up its capabilities against the threat posed by hostile submersibles, Sen. Francis Escudero advised the Navy to “shelve its plan” to buy submarines and focus more on acquiring ships for “disaster and relief” missions.
“Before it borrows money to buy submarines, the Philippines should first acquire locally made ships, like floating hospitals and rescue boats,” he added.
The PN needs around P80 billion to P100 billion to acquire two state-of-the art diesel electric submarines to jumpstart its undersea fleet.
Escudero also said these naval assets will “aid people and towns hit by typhoons, which are getting frequent and stronger.”
And while supportive of calls for a stronger Navy, the lawmaker said this couldn’t be done on a shoestring budget.
Escudero also expressed hope that only when the country’s economy improves can they give the PN submarines and other modern assets it needs.
Image credits: Philippine Navy