The Philippine Navy will require six to eight weeks to complete the forensic analysis of the recently recovered submersible drone off the coast of San Pascual, Masbate, expressing concern it may have been intended for military applications.
In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday, Navy spokesperson Commander John Pierce Alcos said they were still determining the drone’s origin, purpose, and technical specifications since it was retrieved and turned over to the military on 31 December.
He said the forensic analysis will examine the object’s physical structure, electronic components, power source and possible source data.
“While initial observations suggest that it may be a submersible used for scientific research or fish tracking, alternative perspectives point to possible military applications,” Alcos told reporters.
Alcos said the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were “on top of the situation.”
“We are taking this very seriously. Further updates will be provided as the forensic analysis progresses,” he added.
Following the discovery of the submersible drone, concerns of a foreign country spying on the Philippines were raised.
In the same press briefing, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad noted the underwater drone was recovered in a “non-operational status” by fisherfolk in Masbate.
“Offhand, I could say that it is bright yellow in color, 3.5 meters in length, 24 centimeters in diameter, and weighs 94 kilograms,” Trinidad said, describing the drone’s physical appearance.
Trinidad said that such drones are used to collect bathymetric data, including water temperature, depth and salinity.
“Based on the physical description of the equipment, of the item that I have seen, this could be launched by air, by surface ship, or by submarine. But the absence of any attachments for airdrop capability would rule out an air launch platform,” he said.
Since the wings are not foldable, Trinidad said the Navy can also rule out the possibility of the equipment being launched from a submarine.
“So most likely, this was launched from a mother ship, a mother craft. It is not large enough to travel far distances. It needs a mother ship,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trinidad said the AFP is treating the matter with utmost seriousness.
“As mentioned, the AFP is on top of the situation and taking this seriously. A lot of speculation has been going on but let me state that speculation is no substitute for evidence,” he said.
He denied the military was downplaying the retrieval of the submersible drone in Philippine waters.
“Just because it doesn’t hit the news doesn’t mean that we are not doing anything. We have received reports previously, bits and pieces, broken parts of similar equipment and intact specimens, and the AFP is taking appropriate actions,” Trinidad said.
He noted such equipment are difficult to detect, thus the alertness of the Filipino fishermen is “an indispensable part” of the government’s implementation of the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept.
He declined to comment on how the Navy assesses the retrieval of foreign equipment in Philippine waters.
“A lot of speculation has been going on. Let me state that speculation is no substitute for evidence,” Trinidad said.
“The moment it gets to the Philippine Navy and the AFP, we have the appropriate unit, we conduct appropriate actions to study everything. It would take six to eight weeks. It is a scientific approach. Hence, we do not speculate. Whatever markings are there does not indicate anything. It has to be proven,” he said.
Trinidad said the AFP is currently developing measures and countermeasures to secure and protect the country’s maritime domain “in partnership with our treaty ally and other partner nations and this includes the field of autonomous and unmanned systems.”
Asked if sightings of foreign assets in Philippine waters were alarming, Trinidad replied, “We are concerned that we have this unusual equipment in our waters. It speaks a lot about our capability to secure and protect our maritime domain.”