On September 9, the Philippine Navy marked a historic milestone in its maritime defense capability by launching a Spike NLOS missile for the first time from the AW159 Wildcat anti-submarine helicopter.
The exercise took place west of the municipality of San Antonio, in the province of Zambales, and successfully destroyed the target.
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Following the successful airborne launch, the missile boat BRP Thomas Campo (PG908) carried out a second Spike missile launch against another target, in direct coordination with the helicopter, demonstrating operational integration between naval and aerial assets.
Joint force in action
In addition to the AW159 and the missile boat, the following assets participated in the exercise:
- Frigate BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG06)
- Missile boats PG909 and PG907
- Assault boats BA492 and BA488
- Coast Guard vessel BRP Suluan (4406)
- ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicle
- Marine Infantry coastal defense units
Integrated archipelagic defense
The training was part of the implementation of the Integrated Archipelagic Defense Concept, a strategy aimed at strengthening the Philippines’ maritime security in an increasingly complex regional environment.
With the successful first airborne launch of the Spike NLOS missile, the Philippine Navy takes a significant step toward expanding its precision strike capability and readiness for joint defense operations.
Source and images: Philippine Navy (PN). This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
