The Philippines is expected to receive more unmanned surveillance platforms from the United States through its USD500 million Foreign Military Financing (FMF), US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said.

“I just watched the Philippine Navy demonstrate the capabilities of a T-12 unmanned surface vessel (USV). A T-12 is one of several unmanned capabilities funded and delivered this year through the US security assistance. We expect to see many more platforms like this delivered with the USD500 million in FMF that I announced during my visit in July, to help ensure that the Philippines has the capabilities and means to defend its rights and its sovereignty throughout its exclusive economic zone (EEZ),” Austin said during a joint press conference at the Western Command headquarters in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Tuesday afternoon.

Also called “Mantas T-12,” this particular USV has a length of 3.6 meters and has a maximum payload of 64 kg. and is considered a solid system for littoral environments.

It is equipped with an all-electric powertrain and payload management systems and can be deployed from shore, ship, or boat with supporting launch and recovery equipment.

The T-12 can also integrate “above and below-surface sensors,” such as electro-optical cameras, sonars, light detection, and ranging and acoustic modems to expand its mission profile.

“America is profoundly committed to the defense of the Philippines. Our commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty is ironclad and let me say again, the Mutual Defense Treaty applies to armed attacks on either of our armed forces, aircraft, or public vessels, including our coast guards, anywhere in the South China Sea. The past few years have been a period of truly historic progress for the US-Philippine alliance,” Austin said.

Asked whether cyber and asymmetric capabilities would be among the first items to be delivered to the Philippines under the new USD500 million FMF agreement, he said that Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has already identified the priority equipment.

“Certainly, the Secretary (Teodoro) has identified what his priorities are, and we will work with them to fill those priorities. But we want to make sure that we’re doing everything that we can to help him increase his domain awareness, his ability to protect the sovereign territory, and its interests. And cyber plays a critical role in that respect, and you saw evidence of that earlier today. When the T-12 was on display out there, a T-12, as you know, a fundamental part of that is the ability to command and control that using cyber capabilities,” the US defense chief said.

Austin was in the Philippines for a two-day visit.

On Monday, Austin and Teodoro signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), a critical step to enhance information sharing and deepen interoperability between Manila and Washington DC.

The two defense chiefs also led the groundbreaking ceremony for a new bilateral Combined Coordination Center.

These bilateral undertakings will improve joint efforts to plan bilateral exercises, operations, and humanitarian response efforts to address common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

On Tuesday, Austin, along with Teodoro, visited the Antonio Bautista Airbase in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, one of the nine identified Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the country. (PNA)