PH gets hi-tech radar system

DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) could now easily detect from 300 nautical miles intruders and potential invaders with the installation of a sophisticated radar system from Japan in La Union.

Teodoro, together with Japan Chargé d'Affaires Kenichi Matsuda, led the formal acceptance, turnover and blessing ceremony of the FPS-3ME Advance Air Surveillance Radar (ASRS) at the Wallace Air Station in San Fernando, La Union, on Wednesday.

The ASRS Radar Tower and Command Control System is part of Japan's commitment to enhance the AFP's air and maritime surveillance, particularly in the WPS and other parts of the country's territory.

It is part of the Air Surveillance Radar System Acquisition Project with Japan, which includes three fixed long-range surveillance radars and one mobile air surveillance radar.

«The importance of this radar system is, it detects intrusions from airspace, giving overall clarity of picture and movements, and other vital information, not only in the WPS but also in other areas in the Philippines sea and air domains,» Teodoro said.