The Philippine Navy has issued a Notice of Award (NOA) to Makati-based Pakistani-Filipino company Thunder Defense for the supply of materials related to the procurement of Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Precision Strike Munitions.

The project, which has an Approved Budget for Contract (ABC) of Php100 million, was awarded to Thunder Defense for Php88,000,080.00 (approximately 1.71 Million Dollars). However, the specific materials being supplied remain undisclosed. Thunder Defense represents various brands it claims originate from Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as Turkiye, though given its Pakistani connections, the possibility of sourcing from Pakistan cannot be ruled out. The company has been actively promoting Pakistani defense systems in the Philippines, leveraging the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defense Cooperation signed between the two countries in May 2022.

Recently, reports surfaced that Pakistan Ordnance Factories had developed a VTOL suicide drone capable of carrying a 60mm or 81mm mortar round, with an 8-kilometer range and a loitering time of 4 to 5 hours. It is speculated that this project aims to equip the Philippine Marine Corps with a “suicide drone” capability, a strategy that has proven effective for both Ukrainian and Russian forces in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Photo credits: Philippine Navy and Pro-Pakistani website.

Features of the Kamikaze Drone System

The kamikaze drone, developed by Pakistan Ordnance Factories, is capable of carrying 60mm or 81mm mortar shells. It has a range of 8 kilometers and a flight time of 4 to 5 hours. These features make it a highly suitable system for the Philippine Marine Corps. Additionally, the successful use of similar drones in the Ukraine-Russia war has heightened the Philippine military’s interest in such systems.

GÖKDENİZ and ASELSAN Systems in the Philippine Navy

The Philippines has decided to equip its Miguel Malvar-class frigates with the GÖKDENİZ close-in air defense system. Developed by ASELSAN (a Turkish company but has an office in Pakistan too), this system is designed to work in conjunction with 35mm ATOM fragmentation ammunition. It will be installed on two Miguel Malvar-class ships and is scheduled to enter the Philippine Navy’s inventory between 2025 and 2026.

By choosing these systems, the Philippines has taken a significant step in enhancing its air defense capabilities. Additionally, gun turrets developed by ASELSAN have been in active service in the Philippine Navy for years. The SMASH 30 / GUARD turrets are used as secondary weapon systems on Jose Rizal-class frigates.