Philippines’ BrahMos Cruise Missile Purchase Takes Another Step Forward

The acquisition would equip the Armed Forces of the Philippines with a potent deterrent against Chinese adventurism in the South China Sea.

As expected, the Philippines may be on the brink of becoming the first foreign buyer of the Indian-Russian BrahMos cruise missile, one of the fastest anti-ship missiles in the world, as the country’s armed forces seek to strengthen their ability to defend the country’s maritime domain from outside incursions.

Inquirer.net reported just before the new year that the Philippines’ budget department has released initial funding for the armed forces’ “planned acquisition of shore-based anti-ship missile system and combat utility helicopters.”

On December 27, the publication reported, the Philippines’ Department of Budget Management (DBM) issued two special allotment release orders (SAROs) worth 1.3 billion pesos ($25.2 million) and 1.535 billion pesos ($29.7 million). According to the DBM document, the allocations have been made “to cover the initial funding requirements for the shore-based anti-ship missile system acquisition project of the Philippine Navy.”

A senior security official told Inquirer.net that a notice of award, a written confirmation of the grant of a contract to a successful project proponent, is currently “on process” for the missile system. An additional SARO worth 1.6 billion ($31 million) was also issued by the DBM to cover the initial payment for combat utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force.

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Sebastian Strangio