The medium-range ramjet supersonic BrahMos cruise missile system is the ideal weapon for the planned shore-based anti-ship missile project of the Philippine Navy (PN), its chief said Tuesday night.

“The BrahMos Missile and Launching System is the most promising alternative for the Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile System as assessed by the PN Technical Working Group,” Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said.

Bacordo said the project is being pursued as part of the Navy’s requirements for a credible defense posture as envisioned in its ongoing modernization program.

“The project proposal was already presented to the Senior Leaders, however (it is) still for further approval by the Commander-in-Chief and subsequent funding,” he added.

India developed the BrahMos missile in cooperation with Russia, and was meant to counter the continuing rise of China’s naval power.

Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the acquisition program for the BrahMos would push through after his department and India’s Defense Ministry signed on March 2 the implementing agreement concerning the procurement of defense material and equipment.

“As of now, it is a go. The implementing agreement recently signed will facilitate the G2G (government-to-government) mode of procurement,” Lorenzana said.

When asked how many BrahMos batteries the country would procure, he answered only one would be acquired.

“One battery only. Three systems na yan (it will consist of three systems),” Lorenzana said.

A missile battery typically consists of three mobile autonomous launchers with two or three missile tubes each, along with the tracking systems.

The BrahMos cruise missile can be launched from a ship, aircraft, submarine, or land and has a top of Mach 3 and capable of carrying warheads weighing 200 to 300 kilograms.

The acquisition of a land-based missile system is under Horizon Two of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, which is slated for 2018 to 2022 and geared for the acquisition of equipment for external defense and has a budget of P300 billion.