WEAPON-PMCBAC-2024-02 81mm Mortar Acquisition (2025) of the Philippine Navy (Marines)
The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) has raised a requirement for the acquisition of new 81mm Mortars as part of its acquisition for Fiscal Year 2024.
Considering the service just recently ordered several 81mm Mortars through the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program, it is surprising that more mortars were raised for acquisition outside the program.
This resource page will cover this acquisition for FY2024, as we are now expecting the service to potentially procure more 81mm mortars in succeeding years.
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| Photo credits to the British Army. |
81mm Mortars (2024) Acquisition Project:
Note: Edited as of 03 March 2025
* Project Number: WEAPON-PMCBAC-2024-02
* End User: Philippine Navy (Philippine Marine Corps)
* Quantity: 6 units
* Modernization Phase: Philippine Navy GAA Acquisition for 2024
* Project ABC: Php24,000,000.00
* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding
* Source of Funding: Philippine Navy GAA Funds for 2024
* SARO Release: N/A
* Winning Proponent: TG Savunma Sanayi Ve Elektronik Ticaret Sirketi Ltd (Turkiye) - Caballo Negro Industriya (Philippines) Joint Venture
* Product for Delivery: TG Defense 81-PTH1 81mm mortar
* Contract Price: Php11,970,000.00
* Residual Difference (Savings): Php12,030,000.00
* First post by MaxDefense: 03 March 2025 (this post)
* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PMC81mmMortar2025Acquisition
* Status: Public tender was opened on 11 February 2024, SOBE was scheduled on 07 March 2024. NOA was released in favor of TG Defense (TG Savunma) - Caballo Negro Industriya JV on 13 December 2024. Still awaiting for Contract and NTP release as of this writing.
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For the last few years, the Philippine Marine Corps have been investing more in replacing its ageing heavy infantry weapons including mortars, squad automatic weapons, machine guns, and assault weapons as part of its modernization drive.
It has been using the American-made M29 81mm mortar for decades, and has now started to replace them with the Spanish-made M98 81mm mortars in 2022, although only 30 units have been acquired and may not be enough to replace the M29s.
It is surprising for the Philippine Marine Corps to tender for the acquisition of only 6 units of 81mm mortars as part of this project, as we are expecting for a repeat order with Spain's EXPAL Systems should a need for more units are required for commonality of equipment.
The recent decision by the AFP to procure some of their requirements using their annual capital expenditure budget rather than rely on the AFP Modernization Program has allowed the PMC to procure small quantities of their requirements, but could be done on an annual basis.
This includes the mortars, which are considered small ticket items.
The public tender was opened on 11 February 2024, with a Submission and Opening of Bid Envelopes (SOBE) scheduled on 07 March 2024. The project was awarded to Turkiye's TG Defense (TG Savunma) and its Filipino joint venture partner Caballo Negro Industriya, with the Notice of Award released on 13 December 2024.
It is expected that the joint venture will deliver the TG Defense 81-PTH1 81mm Mortar, which would become the 3rd 81mm mortar model simultaneously in service with the PMC together with the old Amertican M29 and new Spanish M98s.
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| The TG Defense 81-PTH1 81mm mortar. Photo credits to TG Defense. |
As of this writing, the Contract and Notice to Proceed are yet to be signed and released.
Little is known about TG Defense and its products and so far it is difficult to get open source information about them.
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