Philippines trains on Patriot, Avenger missile systems

The Philippine troops have learnt the operations of the MIM-104 Patriot SAM system and the Avenger air-defence system, an example of which is pictured above, from the US in Exercise ‘Balikatan'. (Boeing)

The US and Philippine troops conducted joint training on the MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system and the Avenger air-defence system in Exercise ‘Balikatan'.

According to a statement by the Philippine Air Force (PAF), the service's 960th Air and Missile Defense Group (AMDG) was briefed on the operations and other specifications of the Patriot system during the training conducted by the US Army's 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.

PAF spokesperson Colonel Ma Consuelo Castillo said the service understood “operations, role, various specifications, capabilities, and key parts of the Patriot missile defence system involving the radar set, engagement control station, missile launchers, and missiles” in the training.

According to Janes Land Warfare Platforms: Artillery and Air Defence, the Patriot is a ground-based air-defence system (GBADS) utilising a missile interceptor to defeat a range of airborne threats at a short range. The Patriot fires the MIM-104 series missiles.

Apart from Patriot, the 960th AMDG and the Philippine Marine Corps' Shore-Based Air Defense System Battalion learnt the operations of the Avenger air-defence system and Sentinel aerial surveillance radar from the US' 204th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, the 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade said in a social media post.

According to Janes Land Warfare Platforms: Artillery and Air Defence, the Avenger is a self-propelled SAM system.

The Avenger consists of an AM General 4×4 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) with a turret mounted in the rear and eight Stinger missiles in the ready-to-launch position. The turret can also be deployed as a fixed standalone unit.