Philippines eyes drones and ‘system of systems’ to boost asymmetric defence

Philippines eyes drones and ‘system of systems’ to boost asymmetric defence Manila plans to use drones as force multipliers, but analysts warn building a credible deterrence network will require multi-year investment During a House appropriations committee hearing on the Department of National Defence’s proposed budget, Teodoro said the initiative would be funded through a proposed 50 billion-peso (US$810 million) allocation for military modernisation in 2027, a 25 per cent increase from this year’s budget. “We have to integrate the capabilities and have proper working procedures in using them,” Teodoro said. “We currently have a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, which provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services for us. As we mature on the cycle, then we can acquire more.” Acquiring drones was not the main challenge, he said, the more sensitive issue involved the systems they carried and the capabilities those systems could provide. “Initially, we have to have the connectivity and the network capabilities to operate them as real time as possible … Connectivity and the security of connectivity is paramount for us,” he added, noting they were in “close contact” with several countries with drone expertise. [Image text:] 2401 PHILIPPINE