The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has enhanced its fleet with an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to help enforce maritime laws and protect natural resources. The boat bolsters the agency’s capabilities by supplementing its flotilla of crewed vessels.
The PCG is the first Southeast Asian coast guard with a USV. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime donated the vessel in August 2024 after testing and sea trials in Subic, Zambales.
PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo told FORUM that the USV will perform law enforcement and environmental protection missions.
The remote-controlled, six-meter-long vessel, made of fiberglass and marine-grade plywood by a northern Philippines company, can receive signals from automatic identification systems and GPS. It has proximity sensors, cameras, and onboard recording and bilge monitoring devices. Fitted with software for autonomous operation, the boat will return to port if it runs low on fuel or battery power.
The unmanned boat is not a substitute for a conventional patrol vessel, nor is it as advanced as those operated by modern countries. But it is a milestone for the Philippines’ modernizing Coast Guard.
Retired Philippine Navy Rear Adm. Rommel Jude Ong told FORUM that the new USV could be deployed to conduct search operations with a crewed PCG vessel.
“This widens the search coverage,” he said. “In case of extreme weather conditions, the USV can be deployed independently, thus avoiding exposing ships and crew to undue risk.”
If the Philippines acquires more USVs, they could serve as force multipliers. “A PCG vessel can act as a mother ship and deploy several USVs simultaneously in a specific patrol area, thus providing a wider coverage at any given time,” Ong said.
The boat also can assess sea conditions for maritime security response and collect samples to measure marine pollution.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy is exploring the use of USVs in its operations. Increased clashes between Philippine and Chinese forces in the South China Sea have pushed Manila to take a closer look at its defensive strategy and capabilities.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) plans to increase its inventory of uncrewed vehicles, including aerial, land and sea platforms. Uncrewed systems have become a significant focus for surveillance enhancement, intelligence gathering and maritime security, especially to address tensions in the South China Sea.
The Philippine Navy in June 2024 hosted a conference about asymmetric warfare capabilities that focused on cyber; uncrewed surface, aerial and undersea vehicles often called drones; and electronic warfare technologies and their applications. The Navy said it doesn’t have to match an adversary ship for ship and plane for plane to mount a capable defense. The right equipment, deployed wisely, can be more efficient and cost effective.
The Philippines’ comparatively moderate military capabilities are offset by its asymmetric defense strategy and strong alliances. The AFP’s modernization plan for the next 10 years and Manila’s combined projects with the United States entail deployment of equipment intended to enhance cyber security, maritime domain awareness and asymmetric warfare capabilities.
