Enhancing defense relations, Israel shares anti-drone expertise with PHL
MANILA, Philippines — The Israeli Embassy in the Philippines hosted an anti-drone seminar on Monday to discuss its own experiences and to introduce its top-of-the-line defense companies to enhance security relations with the Philippines.
The embassy reopened two offices in the middle of the pandemic, which includes an office for economic relations, while the other is the office of the defense attaché.
“What we’re sharing here is not only technologies, it is best practices, and the Israeli experience,” Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss told reporters in a briefing.
“It is a process of checking policy, identifying what are the challenges, what are the issues, what kind of solutions, and only at the end you look at the technologies and for that, we have the Israeli companies to present the technologies and so it’s much wider than just bringing a company.”
Representatives from different Philippine government defense agencies were at the seminar. Fluss said: “We have here not only the military, but different civil departments or entities because it’s an all-government approach here.”
Israeli-based firms
Defense Attaché Raz Shabtay said the embassy first conducted consultations with Philippine stakeholders to figure out what the country specifically needs in terms of developing its anti-drone systems.
The embassy picked companies that would provide options for the Philippines. Seven companies, a mix of state-owned and privately run firms, were invited to discuss their products and how it can be utilized into the Philippines’ defense system:
- Elbit Systems EW & Siginit - Elisra - specializes in integrated end-to-end Electronic Warfare, Electro-Optics, IR, Signal Intelligence, and Measurement & Signature Intelligence
- Elbit Systems Land - provides an integrated air defense solution through detecting, identifying, and defeating threats and providing a complete defensive umbrella versus low level air attacks
- Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. - government-owned defense and aerospace firm
- MCTECH RF Tech Ltd. - radio frequency manufacturer, providing counter drone solutions through platforms like stationary, mobile, tactical, backpack, naval, among others
- Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. - develops and manufactures air defense and air-to-air systems; air and C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems; and land and naval defense systems
- Rayzone Group Ltd. - a boutique cybe intelligence company providing services and products such as data fusion, investigation platforms, and counterintelligence systems
- Smartshooter Ltd. - designer, developer, and manufacturer of innovative fire control systems that significantly increase the accuracy and lethality of small arms
“We brought here the companies to deliver a wide range of solutions and requirements and then it’s up to the Philippines and their priority to choose what they want and what their priorities are,” Shabtay told reporters.
Israel said it remains open to helping the Philippines to carry out modernization plans through Horizon 3 for its armed forces.
It previously took part in the Philippines’ Horizon 2 program, with projects like the SHALDAG ships, UAVs (Hermes 450 and 900), and the ATMOS (155mm Howitzer) through government-to-government contracts. — Kaycee Valmonte
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