A Philippine army armored corps battalion has completed its first test-fire training using the Sabrah light tank, with 105 millimeter main cannon, made in Israel by Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: ESLT; TASE:ESLT). The test-fire training exercise took place in the Ernesto Rabina air force base target range in Tarlac province and is part of the Philippine army’s for concerns about China.
The Philippines is an island nation located south of Taiwan. The main fear in Manila is that after a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, if and when one occurs, the Philippines will be the next target. That is why they have been making massive defense procurements in recent years from South Korea (37%) of all defense imports, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and Israel (28%).
In the tender for the tanks in 2020, the Israeli company prevailed over a South Korean and Turkish joint venture of Hanwha and Otokar.
Elbit's tank carries a 105mm cannon, which can be used with a variety of armaments. Sabrah includes an advanced fire control system, enhanced armor and the ability to locate targets from the highest technological levels. It is suitable for the Philippines with its challenging geographical conditions and rainforests, because it has high-quality terrain agility and maneuverability, while carrying a crew of three: a commander, gunner and driver.
The Philippines signed the contract with Elbit in October 2020, in which 18 light tanks were procured, and the first tanks were delivered in late 2022. A key consideration in choosing Sabrah over its rivals such as the Harimau tank of Indonesian company Pindad was that the operating costs of the Sabrah are much more attractive.
Rafael-made system
Sabrah is just one Israeli-made armament among many that Manila has procured. About two and a half weeks ago, the Philippine Army unveiled its Spider air defense system made by Rafael, as part of the 77th anniversary celebrations for its military forces. The system was proudly displayed to demonstatre the modernization of the army.
Spider is an advanced air defense system, which is in operational use by several armies around the world, including the Czech army, and provides air defense solutions for different ranges and against a variety of aerial threats, including drones, airplanes, helicopters and short-range ballistic missiles. The system intercepts the threats using two families of interceptors manufactured by Rafael - Python and Derby.
According to the "Army Recognition" website, the Philippines procured three Spider batteries, while a 2020 report by "MaxDefense Philippines" said the sale of the three batteries was for $141 million. The deal also included the purchase of the Python and Derby missiles, which are designed to deal with several types of threats: airplanes, helicopters, UAVs and missiles.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on July 24, 2024.
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