Improving Surveillance
The Philippines is believed to have taken delivery of the first of three new Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) EL/M-2288 AD-STAR S-band (2.3 gigahertz/GHz to 2.5GHz/2.7-3.7GHz) ground-based air surveillance radars. All three systems were ordered in February 2016, and represent a step change for the ground-based air surveillance capabilities of the Philippines Air Force.
The value of the contract is said to be worth over $51 million, with local media reports stating that the second radar should be delivered by September and the final example following by January 2019. In addition, reports noted that surveillance of both the air and sea domains was particularly lacking vis-à-vis the Sulu and Celebes seas located to the southwest and the north of the Philippines archipelago respectively. In addition, a further three ground-based air surveillance radars are expected to be procured over the next five years, although it appears that the government is get to decide on which model of radar it wishes to acquire to this end.
Thomas Withington