The Philippine Navy has carried out a test firing of the recently-integrated Spike-extended range (ER) surface-to-surface missile system which it received from Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in April this year.
The November firing follows an acceptance test on August 9 off the peninsula of Bataan, in which a Spike ER missile was fired at a moored seaborne target at a distance of 6 kilometers.
Spike ER is the first missile system in the Philippine Navy inventory and is installed on the navy’s three Mk 3 multiple-purpose attack craft (MPACs). The MPACs are 16,5-meter-long vessels which displace 19 tons and carry remote-controlled .50-caliber machineguns which are also delivered by Rafael.
The November capability demonstration took place in the vicinity of Lamao Point, Bataan, and was attended by Secretary of National Defense (SND), Delfin N. Lorenzana, as the guest of honor and speaker. In addition to the Spike ER firing, an AgustaWestland AW-109 multi-purpose attack helicopter took part in the capability demonstration.