The Philippine military is ramping up efforts to enhance its drone offensive capabilities and countermeasures amid growing concerns over China potentially using waves of such unmanned aircraft to assert its claims in contested waters.
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As part of this push, Philippine and US forces recently tested high-powered microwave weapons during the Balikatan 2025 exercises, designed to neutralise so-called drone swarms.
The Philippine military has also begun using Israeli-made intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) drones in field operations and unmanned surface vessels in the South China Sea.
Colonel Louie Dema-ala, spokesman for the Philippine army, said drones armed with explosives or used for surveillance – such as those deployed in the war in Ukraine – had become a focus of Manila’s joint military exercises with foreign partners, particularly the US.
“These are all part of subject matter expert exchanges to train our personnel on these new technologies,” he told the Philippine News Agency last month.
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“It has always been the plan of the army to be responsive to these new threats and to be cross-domain capable,” he added.