Philippines Received First Battery of Supersonic BrahMos Missiles

The Philippine Marine Corps has received the first battery of Indian supersonic anti-ship BrahMos missiles.

This is reported by USNI News.

The first missile battery was demonstrated during a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Philippine Marine Corps. The first Philippine BrahMos battery is based in Western Luzon and is in service with the Coastal Anti-Ship Missile Battalion of the Marine Corps Coastal Defense Regiment.

From the deployment area, the Philippines now has the ability to keep Chinese vessels at gunpoint in the disputed Scarborough Shoal. Earlier, the Philippine leadership criticized China’s recent announcement that Scarborough Shoal would be declared a national nature reserve, which officials believe will increase Beijing’s influence in the area.

Three batteries of Indian supersonic anti-ship missiles were purchased in 2022 under a $375 million contract. India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missiles to the Philippines in April 2024.

According to the Coast Guard Regiment and published materials, each BrahMos battery of the Philippine Marine Corps has two mobile autonomous launchers, a radar vehicle, a transport and reloading vehicle, and a command and control vehicle. Each launcher carries two BrahMos missiles, while the transport and reloading vehicle carries four more missiles.

The Philippines is also working on a deal to supply India’s Akash short-range air defense systems. The Akash anti-aircraft missile is capable of intercepting supersonic air targets at a distance of up to 27-30 km and at an altitude of about 18 km.