Japan delivers radar to Philippines amid tension in South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has received a surveillance radar system from Japan as part of the first major equipment transfer since the Japanese government lifted its post-war defense export ban in 2014.

The delivery comes amid clashes between the Philippines and China over contested territory in the South China Sea.

Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency announced the delivery Nov. 2 on social media, the same day Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed the Philippine Congress during a two-day visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

The new warning and control radar system, FPS-3ME, can detect multiple fighter jets and ballistic missiles. The FPS-3ME is an improved version of the J/FPS-3 radar, which has been used by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, according to manufacturer Mitsubishi Electric Corp.

The Japanese company in August 2020 signed a contract with the Philippine Defense Department worth about $100 million for four FPS-3ME radars. Domestic production for the first radar concluded in October 2022, and the Philippine Air Force received it last week.

The second radar is meant for the Philippine Navy, and its acquisition is possible thanks to $4.2 million from a Japanese-run security assistance program, according to the Japanese and Philippine governments.

Neither the Japanese government nor Mitsubishi have disclosed the status of the remaining radar systems on order.

“The coastal radar systems ... are a vital addition to the [Armed Forces of the Philippines’] maritime defense capabilities and will bolster our ability to monitor and protect our extensive coastline, ensuring the safety and security of our seas,” Gen. Romeo Brawner, the military’s chief of staff, said in a statement.

In his speech before the Philippine lawmakers, Kishida said enhancing the Philippines’ security contributes to “regional peace and stability.”

Philippine ships have clashed with Chinese vessels around the Scarborough Shoal and near the Spratly Islands in recent months. China claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its own, while several other nations also claim territory in the area.

“The Philippines faces important sea lanes for Japan including the South China Sea and the Luzon Strait,” Japan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a Nov. 3 statement. “To ensure the safety and security of these sea lanes, it is very timely and crucial that the maritime domain awareness (MDA) capabilities of the Department of National Defense, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines and especially the Philippine Navy, are enhanced for the effective monitoring of these sea lanes and waters.”

Leilani Chavez is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. Her reporting expertise is in East Asian politics, development projects, environmental issues and security.

菲律宾马尼拉——菲律宾从日本接收了一套监视雷达系统，这是自日本政府于 2014 年解除战后国防出口禁令以来，首次重大设备转让。

此次交付正值菲律宾和中国因南海领土争端发生冲突之际。

日本装备技术后勤局于 11 月 2 日在社交媒体上宣布了此次交付，同一天，日本首相岸田文雄在对这个东南亚国家进行为期两天的访问期间，在菲律宾国会发表了讲话。

新型预警控制雷达系统FPS-3ME能够探测多架战斗机和弹道导弹。据制造商三菱电机公司称，FPS-3ME是日本航空自卫队使用的J/FPS-3雷达的改进型。

这家日本公司于2020年8月与菲律宾国防部签署了一份价值约1亿美元的合同，为菲律宾提供四部FPS-3ME雷达。首部雷达的国内生产于2022年10月完成，菲律宾空军已于上周接收。

第二部雷达是为菲律宾海军准备的，据日本和菲律宾政府称，得益于日本主导的一项安全援助计划提供的 420 万美元，该雷达得以购置。

日本政府和三菱公司均未透露剩余已订购雷达系统的状况。

“海岸雷达系统……是对菲律宾武装部队海上防御能力的重要补充，将增强我们监测和保护漫长海岸线的能力，确保我们海域的安全，”军方参谋长罗密欧·布劳纳将军在一份声明中表示。

岸田在菲律宾议员面前发表讲话时表示，加强菲律宾的安全有助于“区域和平与稳定”。

近几个月来，菲律宾船只与中国船只在黄岩岛附近和南沙群岛附近海域发生冲突。中国声称对几乎整个南海拥有主权，而其他几个国家也对该地区提出领土主张。

日本外务省在11月3日的一份声明中表示：“菲律宾面临着包括南海和吕宋海峡在内的对日本至关重要的海上航道。为了确保这些海上航道的安全，亟需提升菲律宾国防部，包括菲律宾武装部队，特别是菲律宾海军的海上态势感知（MDA）能力，以便有效监控这些海上航道和水域。”

莱拉尼·查韦斯是《防务新闻》的亚洲记者。她的报道专长是东亚政治、发展项目、环境问题和安全。