In a first, a Philippine Navy (PN) guided missile frigate has successfully test-fired two Mistral 3 surface-to-air missiles, hitting two drone targets.
The BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) used the MBDA-made short-range air defense missiles to destroy targets provided by the US Indo-Pacific Command in the waters off Zambales, a province on the Philippines’ northwest coast facing the South China Sea.
Additionally, the exercise took place during the ongoing “Balikatan 2025” joint military drills between the Philippines and the US, seeking to strengthen cooperation and deter Chinese aggression in the region.
The PN stated: “This historic firing which validated the effectiveness of a new capability for the PN and the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines was witnessed, in real-time, at the Philippine Fleet headquarters in Subic,” a coastal town within Zambales.
Naval Modernization
A combat-proven, fire-and-forget missile system, the Mistral 3 is part of a significant modernization program of Manila’s naval forces.
After an unspecified number were first delivered to the Philippines in October 2021, the munitions were integrated into the BRP Jose Rizal and BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) naval warships.
The 1.88-meter (6-feet 2 inches) missile carries a 3-kilogram (6.6 pounds) warhead, traveling at a speed of 930 meters per second (2,080 miles per hour).
It provides defense against a wide range of close-in aerial threats with an interception range of 500 meters (0.31 miles) to 8,000 meters (4.97 miles), able to hit aircraft such as drones and helicopters at altitudes up to 6,000 meters (3.7 miles).
While its close-range capabilities mean that it cannot be used for area denial or power projection, the successful firing and operational use are a significant boost to the Southeast Asian country’s air defense.
