MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Navy presented its brand new assets, including 4 amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) and 3 multipurpose attack craft (MPAC) in a ceremony at its headquarters in Manila on Monday, September 23.

The AAVs are versatile armored tanks for ship-to-shore assault operations. The Navy acquired 4 of them in May, and another 4 in August, from the South Korean builder Hanwha Techwin. Each costs around P300 million.

The MPAC are lightweight vessels able to go as fast as 40 knots. Including the 3 newly commissioned MPACs, the Navy has 12 of these boats, some of them armed or will be armed with machine guns and missile systems. Each costs around P270 million.

These acquisitions were part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. Started in 2013, the program will have the government spend a total of P300 billion until 2028 to build up the military’s capabilities.

The current phase of the program focuses on the Navy, which is tasked with addressing security threats from China in the West Philippine Sea, and from bandits and terrorists in the Sulu Sea. – Rappler.com