Monday 20 November 2017

US to turnover Tethered Aerostat Radar Sytem to Phl Navy


The Philippine navy is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines  that has the responsibility in protecting vasts seas surrounding the Philippines.

Despite its meager resources the men and women of the Phillippine Navy does what they can in truest sense of their mission as members of the navy.
Navy personnel stands near the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) donated by US for Philippine military use (photo credit to owner)

From the former USCG Hamiltons that was donated to the country years ago (the three Hamilton vessels are already known as Gregorio Del Pilar class frigates in the Philippine Navy), our only existing treaty ally the United States of America.

In helping the Philippines improve its its maritime intelligence and reconnaissance capability, the US government will donate a Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) to the Philippines- to the Philippine Navy in particular.

The TARS is an unmanned and self-sustained lighter-than-aircraft systems which is primarily used for surveillance. It can rise up to 15,000 feet but would remain stationary as it is tethered by a cable on the ground.

The use of TARS is seen very important in the archipelagic country like the Philippines as it could provide details on the presence of aircrafts and watercrafts on coastal areas.

Aside from poaching issue, smuggling of illegal drugs and other contrabands is also a big problem in the country.

Capt. Lued Lincuna, PN spokesman  however, said that the TARS that will be donated will also be used in the conduct of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operations.

“The TARS also includes a weather station that provides telemetry data to the ground station for the monitoring of ambient temperature, pressure, wind speed and other pertinent parameters in the operation of the system,” he said.

The turnover ceremony is expected to be attended by US Deputy Embassy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Michael Klescheski and Philippine Navy Flag Officer In Command, Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph S. Mercado at the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) in San Antonio town of Zambales.

 

Report from MB.com.ph

 
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