Philippine Navy tests Spike ER missile

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Navy has successfully tested for the first time in a live fire exercise its Spike ER Missile.

The test-firing was done on Oct. 28 off Salkulakit Island in Basilan Province during the five-day Pagsisikap 2021 naval exercise by the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM).

The Spike ER Missile was launched from one of the Multi-Purpose Attack Crafts (MPAC) of the 3rd Boat Attack Division, said Rear Adm. Toribio Adaci Jr. commander of NFWM.

“The missile was fired from MPAC BA489 and hit its target dead center from a distance of four kilometers,” Adaci said.

He said that in the missile test fire, the Navy utilized floating targets built for the purpose.

Other warships in the drill also tested and fired their naval guns.

Lt.. Senior Grade Chester Cabaltera, NFWM public affairs officer, said the naval exercise aims to test wartime and peacetime doctrines in the conduct of amphibious operations, maritime interdiction operations, surveillance and reconnaissance of the maritime areas, civil-military operations and a host of other traditional and non-traditional naval operations.

He said the Spike ER Missile is the Navy’s first missile capable of penetrating 1,000-mm (39 inches) of “rolled homogeneous armor.”

“It is a flexible missile system proven by its dual guidance system, that is the command and homing guidance, capable of hitting targets at a maximum distance of 8 kms,” Cabaltera said.

He said it was the second time the Spike ER Missile was successfully launched and tested after its delivery to the Philippine Navy in 2018.

“The successful firing of the missile and its accurate hitting of the target also highlights the much-enhanced capability of the Navy to protect the seas and littoral areas of our maritime environment,” Adaci said.