The 5th edition of Asian Defence and Security Exhibition (ADAS) will provide an important to insight to the military modernisation of the Philippines, which is a key player in the Indo-Pacific region to maintain regional stability. Rising tensions in th region have meant that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) need to prepared for any eventuality. The recurring maritime disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea, have meant that air power, with its ability to quickly project combat power is a vital component of the AFP strategy for territorial defence.
he modernisation of the Philippine military and its increased combat capability, hinges on the success of the AFP’s 15-year modernization program (2013-2028), referred to Horizon 3 (H3). H3 will likely evolve to cover a span of 15 years and will be divided into three phases: H3 Phase 1 (2023-2027), H3 Phase 2 (2028-2032) and H3 Phase 3 (2033-2037). Under Horizon 3, the Philippines is expected to accelerate the induction of C4ISTAR, air defence systems, air and surface interdiction systems, anti-tank systems and ground rocket systems, all pending approval by the DND.
Growing in Scale
This year marks the celebration of ADAS’s 10th Anniversary in the Philippines and is planned to be the largest ever in its history. ADAS’s Managing Director, Andrew Marriott said, “Given the scale and number of Islands within the Philippines and its geographic position, it is imperative to continue rebuilding its defence capability with ongoing modernisation programmes. The ongoing defence modernisation focuses on all three services – visitors can experience the industry’s largest suppliers showcasing their latest equipment to Land Forces, Air and Navy. “The theme of the Philippine’s flagship tri-service event this year is, “Building on a Decade of Defence Capability”, an apt summarisation of the AFP’s modernisation and growth.
With a significant increase in Philippine defence spending, ADAS has attracted strong participation growing by 35 percent over the previous edition with the show space increasing to 14,500 sqm. Present at the show are over 250 participating companies and 15 country pavilions. The event organisers expect over 15,000 people to attend the show, which will also highlight the latest domestic innovations in defence technology.
ADAS’s will showcase the latest innovations and key upgrades in capability in-service and planned for the AFP. “The Philippine defence department is focusing on speedily building up capabilities, systems and skill sets, in order to meet the interoperability skills towards the credible deterrence necessary under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defence Concept (CADC.) This not only places a premium on modernizing the physical assets of all services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), but also in building capabilities in asymmetric warfare, information security, cyber defence and cyber security to effectively adapt to the rapidly evolving defence landscape,” according to the Philippines Department of National Defence.”
This year’s ADAS Symposium is centered around the theme “Asymmetric Warfare,” and delves into a spectrum of specialized topics including mosaic/asymmetric warfare, cybersecurity and defence as well as session on building local capacity. As part of the commemoration of Philippines National Cyber-Security month in September, delegates can also look forward sharing their past experiences on drone and anti-drone wars from neighbouring countries.
Strong Ally
The Philippines is a longstanding U.S. partner and an important ally in the region, designated as a ‘Major non-NATO Ally’ (MNNA). The U.S. provides an average of about US$120 million per year in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to the Philippines and in 2023, due regional security concerns, this increased to in excess of US$200 million. The U.S. Government has also expressed its intent to make available to the Philippines, US$100 million in additional FMF to be used by the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) to fund its armed forces modernization programmes. There remain significant opportunities defense and security equipment manufacturers and service providers to enhance the Philippines’ self-defence capabilities.
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