Philippines plans to acquire up to 5 air surveillance radars from Japan

One of Japan's air surveillance radar domes housing a J/FPS-3 radar, similar to the model offered to the Philippines. Photo c/o Asia Nikkei Review. 

The Philippines' defense secretary confirmed in an interview with GMA News that the Department of National Defense (DND) is negotiating with the Japanese government on the possible acquisition of up to five (5) air surveillance radars for the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana said that they are discussing with their Japanese counterparts to procure the radars as part of the defense cooperation agreement between Japan and the Philippines.

Although no specific model was mentioned by the DND, Filipino defense page MaxDefense Philippines confirmed that the model offered by Japan was Mitsubishi Electric's J/FPS-3ME, which is an updated variant of the J/FPS-3 used by the Japan Air Defense Ground Environment (JADGE).

The Japanese radar is also competing with Israel's IAI Elta Systems ELM-2288ER and ELM-2288MR AD-STAR radars, and Lockheed Martin's TPS-77 from the US.

Should the procurement proceeds with any of the choices, it would be done through Government-to-Government (G2G process with the government of origin.

Japan previously offered the same radar to the Royal Thai Air Force, but lost to Spain's Indra with its 3D Lanza LRR L-band radar.



[1] Manila Bulletin
[2] GMA News
[3] MaxDefense Philippines