PRWC
The first batch of BrahMos missile weapon systems from India arrived in the Philippines on April 19. The purchase contract of these missiles was first clinched by the Philippines and India in January 2022. The weapons cost the public $375 million or ₱18.9 billion.
The Marcos regime is expected to use these to further heat up the conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), as intended by the US. Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general of the National Security Council, directly threatened to use it against an “occupier” in the country’s territorial waters, in clear reference to China.
Some military officials of the Marcos regime say that the new BrahMos missile will boost Philippine capabilities and can be used as a “deterrence” against any attempt to attack the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights.
The weapon also arrived in time of the series of war games by the military of the US, the Philippines and other foreign militaries in the land, sea and air of the country.
The BrahMos missile, which can be mounted on submarines, ships, planes or used on land, is an anti-ship weapon. It has a range of up to 290 kilometers, more than half of the 370.4 kilometers (200 nautical miles) exclusive economic zone of the Philippines from the coast.
Each of its systems has two missile launchers, a radar and a command-and-control center. It can fire two missiles in just 10 seconds. The BrahMos will be used in the Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippine Marine Corps. This missile is manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd., an India-Russian company.
This weapon is the Philippines’ first supersonic missile. It is also India’s first exported defense weapon. India belongs to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue group, along with the US, Australia and Japan. The US is now actively using it in its geopolitical strategy against China. On the other hand, India also belongs to BRICS which includes Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.
