Featured: Philippines eyes wheeled and tracked AFVs
The Philippine Army told Shephard as far back as 2014 that it harboured ambitions to procure main battle tanks within the 2020-28 period. However, a more realistic and immediate plan is to acquire lighter AFVs.
Thus, the army’s Horizon 2 procurement plan proposal (covering 2018-22) features light tanks with a budget allocation of PHP9.484 billion ($185 million). A total of 44 units are needed to equip three tank companies of the Mechanized Infantry Division (MID) of the Philippine Army, which is based at Camp O’Donnell in Tarlac.
However, following the bloody urban combat in Marawi last year, Shephard understands that
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