US to turnover aerostat radar system to PH Navy

The Philippine Navy’s maritime surveillance and disaster response capabilities will be further enhanced with a new radar system from the United States.

A Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) will be formally handed to the Philippine Navy (PN) on Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales, a media advisory on Friday said.

The radar system is eyed to enhance the naval forces’ maritime intelligence surveillance reconnaissance, and will also be used for human assistance and disaster response.

Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said TARS would be effective in “detecting maritime and air traffic within the country’s coastal waters.”

US Deputy Embassy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Michael Klescheski and PN Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Joseph Ronald Mercado will be gracing the turn-over ceremony.

Last July, US donated 2 Cessna patrol planes currently stationed at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, delivered 1,040 2.75-inch rocket motors and 992 2.75-inch rockets to the Philippine Air Force at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, to reinforce the Philippine Marines in fighting Islamist group Maute.

The radar system was pledged during the time of President Barack Obama under the US government’s Maritime Security Initiative. Theodore Jason Patrick K. Ortiz