ORD-PABAC-025-24 Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon with PGM Axquisition Project (2024) of the Philippine Army

The Philippine Army (PMC) has raised a requirement for the acquisition of new Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapons (MMAW) with Precision Guided Munition (PGM) capabilities.

This was to provide the service with new anti-armor capabilities, which could also be used in shore and beach defense against enemy amphibious assault vehicles or landing crafts. 

Being the first batch to acquire such capabilities, it is expected to be a multi-year acquisition and we believe more will be acquired by the PA using their annual Capital Outlay funding.

Project Summary:

Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon with Precision Guided Munition (2024) Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 11 November 2024

* Project Number: -ORD-PABAC-025-24

* End User: Philippine Army (most likely Special Forces (Airborne) Regiment)

* Quantity: 5 launchers, 10 missiles

* Modernization Phase: Philippine Army Capital Outlay for 2024

* Project ABC: Php208,333,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding

* Source of Funding: Philippine Army GAA Capital Outlay Funds for 2024

* SARO Release: N/A

* Winning Proponent: LIG Nex1 Co. Ltd.

* Product for Delivery: AT-1K Raybolt antitank missiles and launcher

* Contract Price: Php205,329,160.00

* Residual Difference (Savings): Php3,003,840.00

* First post by MaxDefense: 21 May 2024

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAMMAW2024Acquisition 

* Status: Public tender was opened on May 2024, SOBE was scheduled on 11 June 2024. South Korea's LIG Nex1 Co. Ltd. was declared the Single Calculated Bidder, with a Notice of Award was released in their favor on 09 Ocrober 2024. LIG Nex1 offered the AT-1K Raybolt anti-tank missile system.

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Overview:

The Philippine Army has been pushing to acquire Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapons (MMAW) which was also included in the Horizon 2 phase priority acquisition.

Previously the requirement is for unguided systems, closely similar to light anti-tank weapons or recoilless rifles to replace existing old units.

But changes in priorities have pushed back the acquisition of MMAWs, with the existing RPG-7-type rocket propelled grenade launchers instead fitted with more powerful bunker busting thermobaric rounds for anti-bunker operations, as well as High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds for use against light armored vehicles.

With the changes in priorities, the project was among those that were reviewed by the Philippine Army in light of the War in Ukraine, and it was now decided to revise the requirement to now use anti-tank missile systems, with fire and forget capabilities and able to actually destroy main battle tanks.

It still remains to be seen if the Philippine Army will still acquire light anti-tank/anti-bunker weapons since there have been recent interest in Saab's M4 Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles.

But it now appears that acquisition of anti-tank missile systems will be made using annual Capital Outlay allocations to the Philippine Army ibstead of under the modernization program, no different from any small arms/infantry weapons.

The Philippine Army already gained some baclground on the Javelin missile system as they were used during recent exercises. Photo xredits to DVIDS.

Technical Requirements:

Based on the technical specifications provided by the Philippine Army, the MMAWs shall have the following:

Range: at least 2,000 meters
Caliber: maximum of 130mm
Overall Weight: maximum of 30 kilograms including launch tube assembly, missile and battery coolant, and command /control/observation launch unit

Missile Length: between 900mm to 1,300mm

Seeker: Imaging Infrared (IIR) minimum

Guidance Sysrem: Infrared Homing, Fire and Forget

Warhead: Tandem or Dual Charge, HEAT

Attack mode: Top attack with minimum engagement range of 150m, Direct Attack with minimum engagement range of 65m

Hit Probability: at least 90%

Possible Options:

Our parent page MaxDefense Philippines believes that possible candidatea could be Rafael's Spike MR, LIG Nex1's AT-1K Raybolt, and Raytheon's FGM-148 Javelin.

Price-wise, the Javelin appears to be the most expensive, which will affect its selectability since this procurement is being done by Public Bidding.

The AT-1K Raybolt could have a better chance due to its minimum engagement eange compares to the Spike MR, although Spike MR may benefit from supportability since the Philippine Navy operates the longer-ranged Spike ER and Spike NLOS.

The Rafael Spike (Top) and LIG Nex1 Raybolt (above) are most likely to contend for this project. Photo credita to Rafael and LIG Nex1.

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U P D A T E S:
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11 November 2024:

The Philippine Army has releases the Nortce of Award for the project in favor of South Korea's LIG Nex1 Co. Ltd. last 09 October 2024.

LIG Nex1 is offering its AT-1K Raybolt anti-tank missile system, which has fire and forget capability using an infrared image seeker, capable of direct or top attack modes, and has a tandem warhead to defeat explosive reactive armor.

The AT-+K Raybolt from LIG Nex1.

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First edit and release: 11 November 2024
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource