South East Asia Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter paintgun
- Start date
joshuatree
Captain
Blackstone
Brigadier
I don't know about the second vessel, but whatever it is, it'd probably be equally useless.
Well, for the Philippines, the Hamilton class are not useless at all.
They are very decent cutters that are the size of (and will be used as) frigates.
When adding the new military sensors, the armament, which consists of:
- 1 ×
- 2 × (on PF-16)
- 2 × (on PF-15)
- 6 ×
and with the possibility of adding harpoon missiles (the Hamiltons were qualified for their use), the vessels are very decent for the Philippine's needs.
They are not mean to go toe to toe with a modern navy surface combatant.
Compared to some of their other inventory, they are quite capable.
They have little money, so they have to depend on such offerings and are trying to make the best of them.
Some of the potential S. Korean and other more modern possibilities are also good for them
Blackstone
Brigadier
It's without doubt marginal firepower increase add to national offensive and defensive capacity. In that view, the Hamiltons and other military aid US gave the Philippines are not useless. However, it's US strategy and not marginal hardware improvements I was addressing.
There's a saying from dynastic China on statecraft that goes something like 'keep power out of the hands of the ambitious, as you would sharp knives from hands of the foolish.' The meager military aid Washington lend to Manila would make absolutely no difference in serious confrontations with China, but they may embolden Filipino hardliners and make compromise even less likely.
Upon reflection, "useless" was imprecise and I should have said "worse than useless" instead.
It's all about money. If they had more like Japan, South Korea or Australia I doubt there would be much panic in US against Phillipines building their own BMD capability and selling technology there. They may follow the path PRC had and become much more significant in the region 50 years ahead onboth economical and military aspects. They can't? Do you think why people all around the world laugh about PLA 'small batallions of millions'? Because that was only forte of PRC Army that was significant in the past decades. Now you're doing the same laughing at Phillipines...
... who is laughing at the Philippines? I see no posts in this thread in the last few pages of anyone suggesting they cannot become more militarily capable if their economy were larger and more capable. In fact, I'd say most Chinese military watchers would be quite pragmatic and admit that to be the case.
And in the past, the Chinese military's only significant advantage was its numbers, that is quite readily acknowledged by many, and back then their capabilities really were laughable or very limited at best, and any such assessments would have been very accurate.
Therefore, I'm not sure how that is relevant to the case of the Philippines military development or its present capabilities, because you make it sound like trying to accurately ascertain the present capabilities of a military force (namely that of the Philippines) should not occur, because of the possibility that in future they may be substantially more capable if their economy grows.
kwaigonegin
Colonel
It does not matter if this gift is useless or not. This is more so a political move than a military one. These ships represent many things. It represents close bilateral ties between the two countries. It represents military cooperation and it also serves to appease the local populace that the US has their back and forms a positive perception for the Obama administration's pivot to the East.
Last but not least these ships do serve a useful operational purpose. While it can't go against a modern frigate, it can serve as deterence to fishing boats, spy ships, patrol crafts and is certainly useful for the Filipino navy to use near the islands in SCS for observation etc.
I seriously doubt they will be fitted with anything more than guns though even though they are wired to launch ASMs.