Brawner: Modern weapons ‘crucial’ to combatting external threats

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday said the military organization needs to acquire modernized defense equipment and weapons so it can better protect and defend the country against any external threat.

Aside from modernized weapons, Brawner also cited the need to equip soldiers with the resources and skills to prepare them for any challenges of fighting and neutralizing threats.

Brawner said the AFP is also envisioning the creation of "citizen warriors" or recruiting more reservists that can be readily tapped during emergencies.

"'Yung taong bayan ay kailangang ihanda natin, tingnan nyo po yung nangyari sa Israel nung umatake yung Hamas, ang mga unang dumepensa sa bansa nila ay yung mga citizen warriors, yung mga reservists, yun din po ang gusto nating mangyari dito," he said in an interview over the DZRH.

"Gusto po natin talagang ihanda yung ating mga kababayan mga mamamayan for any eventuality whether it is man made or even natural," he added.

Asked if the AFP is ready for any external aggression, Brawner said: "When it comes to Filipinos' fighting spirit, we number one, because for the longest time—we have been fighting for years, so we are one of the most fighters in the world so we just need modern equipment, modern weapons and that's what we are doing in our modernization effort."

Brawner said an allocation of huge funds is needed to acquire more modern defense equipment and weapons.

"Because really mahal po kasi yung mga kagamitan na kailangan natin but we have to invest in our defense kasi kung hindi po natin gagawin yan, kahit na anong gastos natin sa ibang mga bagay pero kung may mangyari man, kung may umatake sa atin mawawala lahat ito," he added.

Brawner earlier said the AFP is targeting to acquire "multi-role fighter aircraft, naval assets, command and control or C-2 systems, shore-based deterrent capabilities, submarines and the like" under the third Horizon of the AFP modernization program.

The Horizon 3 is slated for 2023 up to 2028.

Horizon 2 was undertaken from 2018 to 2022 and the Horizon 1 was pushed from 2013 to 2017.

Brawner said such procurement tranches are designed to acquire equipment, weapons systems, and platforms geared at enhancing the external or territorial defense capability of the military organization.

Among the platforms procured in the ongoing AFP Modernization Program include the S-70i "Black Hawk" combat utility helicopters, missile frigates, close air support aircraft, air defense surveillance radars, unmanned aerial vehicles or drones, corvettes, anti-submarine helicopters, light tanks, tactical radios, amphibious assault vehicles, civil engineering equipment, and modern pistols.