Over the next few months the armed forces of the philippines is expected to
receive 22 refurbished K136 corion mobile multiple launch rocket systems
(MLRS) from south korea.
It is expected to be in service with the philippine army and marine corps.
Philippines will also receive support equipment and ammunition in unknown
quantities.
Along with the K-136 corion the philippines is also in the process of
acquiring a recently decommissioned South Korean Navy ROKS Andong (PCC-771).
This is part of a plan to strengthen defense cooperation between the
philippines and south korea.
Accordingly two used k-136 chorion batteries were donated to the philippines
by korea. The philippine department of national defense is still in the
planning stage on how to pick up the rocket systems from south korea.
The costs of the transfer will be shouldered by the philippines. The k-136
corion is a south korean multiple rocket artillery system that was deployed
in 1986.
A total of 150 of these multiple launch rocket systems were built and are
currently in service with the south korean army. the rocket tube arrangement
is a single rectangular bank of four layers each with nine tubes. it can
fire two types of rockets, the standard k30 and k33 extended range rocket.
The K30 has a maximum range of 23 kilometers, while the K-33 has a maximum
range of 36 kilometers. the rockets can be equipped with two types of
warheads including the conventional HE and pre-fragmented HE containing
sixteen thousand steel balls.
The rocket launcher pod is mounted on km 809 a one six-time six-truck
chassis powered by a diesel engine, developing 236 horsepower. The vehicle
has a full-time all-wheel drive and is fitted with a central tire pressure
system. It can run at a maximum road speed of 80 kilometers per hour
with a maximum cruising range of 550 kilometers.
Philippine military to procure more south korean weapons
The armed forces of the philippines, expects to receive 22 refurbished K-136
corion mobile multiple launch rocket systems from south korea in the last
few months.
The units are projected to be distributed between the philippine army and
the philippine marine corps. The quoted quantity is lower than what was
previously stated in 2018 when it was reported that the philippine army and
marine corps will receive a total of 24 K136 MLRS.
The reason for the reduction is still unclear. aside from these mobile
launchers, the AFP will also receive support equipment and ammunition in
unknown quantities.
The AFP is also in the process of acquiring a recently decommissioned South
Korean Navy ROKS Andong (PCC-771), a Pohan Class Corvette from a ladder
production batch that has some improvements compared to Roks Chungju
(PCCC-762), which was transferred to the philippines in 2019.
One of the improvements is the wiring and mount points to carry and operate
four AGM 84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles that are absent in the ROKS Chengju
now serving as BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) in the philippine navy.
While it seems unlikely that the roks anong will be transferred to the
philippine navy complete with the missiles, it remains to be seen whether
the AFP will look to acquire AGM-84 harpoon from the United States or South
Korean made SSM 700K Heison to re-arm the vessel with anti-ship missiles.
It is learned that the philippines department of national defense (DND) will
soon issue a notice of award to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) as the winner
in the corvette acquisition project of the philippine navy.
A contract worth around php 28 billion, about 561.9 million u.s dollars for
two HHI's hdc 3100 class corvettes is also expected to be signed soon
afterward.
In recent years south korea has heavily marketed its defense products in the
philippines and has also transferred refurbished military equipment to
assist the south east asian country in its military modernization program.
Various south korean defense products ranging from military trucks, light
fighters, frigates and more have been sold or transferred to the philippines
and have been used by the afp for more than a decade.
