Philippine Navy plans to acquire shore-based anti-ship missile batteries

The Brahmos mobile missile launcher.

The Philippine Navy (PN) is interested in having their own shore-base anti-ship missile systems and is eyeing the Indian Brahmos coastal defence system for the requirement.

Philippine defense page MaxDefense Philippines reported that aside from the Philippine Army (PA) which earlier announced its intentions to acquire two (2) batteries of the Brahmos land-based missile system, the PN is planning to acquire three (3) batteries to enable an area defense/area denial (A2/AD) capability to protect the country’s territories.

Delays in final negotiations have been reported due to COVID-19-related restrictions, although the Indian Ambassador to the Philippines was positive that negotiations will continue once restrictions ease up on both sides.

Currently the export version of the surface-to-surface version of the Brahmos anti-ship cruise missile has a maximum range of 290 kilometers, although India has announced that improvements have been made to allow a maximum range of 500 kilometers.

Confirmation is still needed if the PN and PA are getting the improved variants, due to potential MTCR restrictions.

The Brahmos anti-ship and land-attack missiles were developed as part of cooperation between India and Russia, and flies at supersonic speed to defeat hard-kill ship defences while providing maximum damage due to its kinetic energy. 

Each Brahmos coastal defense battery consists of 3 or 4 mobile missile launchers, with 3 ready-to-fire Brahmos missiles each, and supported by command and control, support, and surveillance systems.


[1] MaxDefense Philippines
[2] Philippine Defense Resource
[3] The EurAsian Times