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Philippines Strengthens Its Defense with Indian BrahMos Supersonic Missiles and Twin-Missile Launchers.
On September 25, 2024, BrahMos Aerospace unveiled for the first time at the ADAS event a model of the mobile BrahMos launcher that will be operated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). This model, which displays missiles mounted on a Czechoslovakian Tatra 6x6 vehicle, highlighted the twin-missile launcher specifically chosen by the Philippines. This configuration contrasts with the three-missile launchers used by the Indian Armed Forces. The displayed model also featured jungle camouflage, adopted by the AFP for its tropical operations.
BrahMos Supersonic Missile and its Twin-Missile Launcher (Picture source: Philippines MoD)
According to the Twitter account Noise Alerts, the first batch of BrahMos supersonic missiles was delivered to the Philippines on April 19, 2024. Transported by an Indian Air Force IL-76TD aircraft, these missiles were delivered to the Philippine Marine Corps in Manila, accompanied by ground launch systems. This delivery, part of a $375 million agreement signed in 2022, marks the first time India has exported the BrahMos missile system. The Philippine Marine Corps confirmed that each BrahMos missile battery would consist of only two missile launchers.
The BrahMos cruise missile, named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moscow River in Russia, is the result of a joint development between India and Russia. Based on the Russian SS-N-26 (3M55 Oniks/Yakhont/Bastion) missile, this supersonic missile is designed to engage land and sea targets with remarkable precision. BrahMos Aerospace, the company responsible for its development, was established in 1998 as a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
The BrahMos missiles will be operated by the Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippine Marines. A BrahMos Aerospace representative stated to AMR that all deliveries are expected to be completed by next year. He also highlighted that India is considering replacing the imported Tatra vehicles with Indian-origin models for future deliveries. The BrahMos missile is equipped with a conventional warhead weighing between 200 and 300 kg, capable of delivering impact energy nine times greater than that of subsonic cruise missiles.
The BrahMos missiles can be fitted with either a high-explosive semi-armor-piercing warhead or a submunition payload weighing between 200 and 300 kg. They can be launched from vertical or ramp launch systems, or in the case of the submarine version, from submerged vessels. In 2013, the missile was successfully tested from a submerged barge, demonstrating its capability to be deployed on missile-armed submarines.
The Philippines announced the agreement with BrahMos Aerospace in January 2022 for the acquisition of three missile batteries. This contract, valued at $375 million, also includes operator and maintenance training as well as an Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package. The requirement for this advanced weapon system was formally conceptualized in 2017 and approved by the Office of the Philippine President for inclusion in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020.
In India, BrahMos Aerospace was also selected to supply next-generation long-range mobile coastal maritime batteries to the Indian Navy under an agreement signed in March 2023, valued at $200 million.
The BrahMos missile, also designated as PJ-10, is a joint military project between India and Russia, combining the expertise of DRDO and NPO Mashinostroyeniya. In service since 2001, it can be launched from various platforms, including submarines, ships, fighter jets, and land-based mobile launchers. It can reach supersonic speeds between Mach 2 and Mach 3.
Since India's induction into the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2016, versions of the BrahMos missile have achieved increased ranges of up to 900 km, compared to 290 km for the export version. With its stealth capabilities, advanced guidance system, and fire-and-forget mode, the BrahMos represents a major asset in modern arsenals.
This phase of BrahMos deliveries to the Philippines not only strengthens military cooperation between India and Southeast Asian countries but also boosts the Philippines' coastal defense capabilities in the face of growing regional threats.