THE Philippine Navy (PN) yesterday announced that it had test-fired its newly acquired “Bullfighter” chaff anti-missile decoys in Zambales waters last March 24.
These defensive weaponry were fitted aboard the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151).
“The ‘Bullfighter’ is a new generation of 130mm decoys for super rapid blooming offboard chaff (SRBOC) and other 130mm launcher systems to protect naval vessels up to the size of frigates against anti-ship missiles,” PN spokesperson Capt. Benjo Negranza said in a statement.
He said the chaff were tested and fired by the Offshore Patrol Force aboard the two missile frigates.
“The payload of the chaff is effective against missiles with modern and sophisticated seekers and electronic protection measure(s),” Negranza added.
Observers said chaff works by distracting radar guided missiles from their targets by spreading or dispensing a small cloud of aluminum, metalized glass fiber or plastic which appears as a cluster of targets in radar screens.
The acquisition of the chaff countermeasure capability is part of the PN’ 2nd Horizon modernization program to capacitate the country’s warships to defend against modern naval warfare threats.
The BRP Jose Rizal and its sister ship BRP Antonio Luna are modern warships capable of surface, sub-surface, air and electronic warfare using state-of-the-art electronic sensors, long-range missiles, acoustic guided torpedoes and embarked anti-submarine helicopters.
The BRP Jose Rizal was delivered to the Philippines in May 2020 and commissioned in July of the same year while the BRP Antonio Luna was commissioned on March 19, 2021.
The contract for the two ships was placed at P16 billion, with another P2 billion for weapon systems and munitions. PNA
