PH Army to secure naval, air bases under new defense concept

THE PHILIPPINE Army will play an important role in the military's adoption of the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC), aimed at protecting the country's vast maritime territories.

In a press briefing Wednesday, Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said land forces are necessary for securing naval and air bases, as well as assets inside these facilities.

"This is where protection is required," he said, noting that naval ships and aircraft along with their crew members are required to return to base for maintenance and other purposes after completing their missions.

"The CADC, aside from being able to develop the capability to protect our assets, ang pinaka-importante dito (the most important of all) is to be able to sustain this protection, and the sustainment," Galido said.

He also said the CADC is a "holistic national approach" aimed at protecting Philippine territory and interests.

Galido also said the Indian-made BrahMos cruise missile systems, which the country has acquired for its anti-ship missile defenses, would serve as a "deterrent to (a) possible intrusion."

He added that this capability is being developed.

Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it would focus on five major defensive capabilities – cyber systems, air interdiction, surface and sub-surface, missile defense systems, and support systems – as it shifts its focus to the CADC, which aims to defend all of the country's territories, including its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

All of these improvements are part of the "AFP Modernization Program Re-Horizon 3."

Under the CADC, the AFP is required to defend Philippine mainland territory, held island territories, and features.

To ensure that it is capable of conducting this mission, the AFP needs adequate radar coverage to detect and identify intrusions in Philippine territory; air and maritime assets with adequate defensive capabilities; cyber defensive capabilities to defend against opponents looking to attack cyber infrastructures; and missile systems to defend critical infrastructures.

The military said it would also need credible and capable land maneuver forces for both conventional and asymmetric warfare, credible reserve forces, and logistics support systems. (Priam Nepomuceno)