Philippine Navy Test Fires First Ship-borne Missile System

The Philippine Navy successfully test-fired its first ever ship-borne missile from its Multi-Purpose Attack Craft (MPAC) Mk III near Lamao Point in Bataan on Thursday.

The Navy gunboat blasted an Israeli-made Spike ER (Extended Range) missile, which “accurately hit the designated target at approximately 6 kilometers away from the firing platform,” a statement released on August 9, by the Naval Public Affairs Office, said.   

The test was part of a Sea Acceptance Test for the missile system first acquired earlier this year.

“A Spike-ER missile was fired and accurately hit the designated target at approximately six kilometers away from the firing platform. The target was hit dead center even if the sea condition was moderately rough with waves at least one meter high but within the normal firing conditions of the missile,” Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jonathan Zata was quoted as saying by The Philippine Star.

Another actual live-fire demonstration of the Spike-ER missile will be scheduled soon with President Rodrigo Duterte attending.

The Philippine Navy entered into this contract with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems through SIBAT, a department of Israel's Ministry of Defense. The Secretary of National Defense approved the notice to proceed on April 15, 2017.