Army to get armored carriers from Israel, US

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Army will acquire 28 armored personnel carriers (APCs) from Israel to beef up its arsenal and avert deaths of soldiers during encounters with terrorists and other enemies of the state.

The Army will also get 100 APCs donated by the US government.

The acquisition of APCs from Israel is expected to boost the Army’s fighting capability and prevent another Mamasapano incident that resulted in the deaths of 44 police commandos.

The Army is celebrating its founding anniversary today.

The APCs or M113 are armed with the latest automated firing system. Instead of strafing, the APC would hit its target with a 99.9 percent accuracy with a single bullet.

The APCs are also equipped with modern thermal sights and infrared equipment, which would enable the soldiers to engage enemies under the cover of complete darkness.

The effectiveness of this weapon was showcased during the Zamboanga siege where tens, if not hundreds of lives of Filipino soldiers were saved, and the government avoided the carnage of civilian hostages.

The purchase of the APCs was done through an arrangement between the Israel Ministry of Defense and Department of National Defense.

The Elbit Systems Ltd. will supply the brand new APCs with an average kilometer reading of less than 1,000 kilometers.

Since the APCs are equipped with remote-controlled weapon systems, the Army soldiers would be safely positioned inside the APCs and not exposed to enemy fire.