Good point there, SL!

The only problem is that the "QUALITY" of locally-made weapons or
military hardwares is still NOT COMPARABLE to the foreign made ones.

The local manufacturers is still not doing much about this.

Cooperating with the AFP on their design and specifications could have bolstered the effectiveness of their design.

We've got quite a large pool of designers here, from guns to naval and aircraft engineering.

We've got shipyards here. In fact, some Navy patrol crafts were built here. The bigger ones, the patrol ships were manufactured abroad.

If we can only forge a tie-up with any foreign builders for the technical and even financial factors, Australia for example, then that industry can really hit it big.

If i were PGMA, i would push for the development of locally designed and locally-built military hardwares.

Not only we can save dollars here but we can also provide much-needed jobs for our people.

Well, we used to have that and one of the most promising in Asia it was called the SRDP (self reliance defense program). The initiative is an MOU that AFP shall commit part of its purchases to SRDP compliant companies to ensure its existence. Most prominent examples of this is...

VETRONIX - Manpack VHF/HF Radio, it predates TADIRAN of Israel and used to have POF (Pakistan Ordnace Factories) subsidiary as its distributor. It also manufactures M79, M203 40mm grenade projectiles.

ELISCO/ELITOOL - M16 under license from colt and other license for Armalite rifles.

PN R&D- Surface to surface anti ship missiles, they went through a successful test on a liquid fueled system. Was eventually scrapped by JUSMAG's prodding and its refusal to sell us guidance technology (as it may be the stepping board to intemediate range capability and maybe used to the reconquest of SABAH). The solid fuel system never left the drawing boards. The local subcontractors were shortchanged

PN Shipyards - Used to be one of the best tooled naval facility in Asia, it can lay keel on destroyer size ship and can undertake refit on all types and sizes of our naval forces. Rumor has it that some of the equipment including some dock facilities were transferred to BASECO and National Dev't Corp. A goverment owned shipbuilding facility.

Further, during the SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Org) days, the US stopped most of the SEA countries from obtaining aircraft assembly licenses. That's why the F5 program was fastracked and sold cheap to SEA countries as the "freedom fighter". Only Japan got away with it as it has an indigenous avaition industry (Mitsubishi & Kawasaki).

The final death blow to the SRDP program is the 86 revolution. Most arms purchases were liberalized (singapore got a fair share in this via purchases of M16s and Ultimax SAW from Chartered Industries).

You see, we have a defense industry even before Singapore pulled out of the Malaysian Federation in '65. Its just stupid and nearsighted govt policies that grinded it to a screeching halt.

SO THE US RUINED THE SUCCESS OF OUR SELF-RELIANCE PROGRAM?

:gatling: GREEDY PIG!

WE COULD HAVE SAVED THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL!!!!

It seems like the US really wanted us to be its puppet for good!

Relying only on what it can offer..... BUT NOT REALLY HELPING US GET PROGRESSIVE.

BECAUSE, AS WHAT THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GAME SAYS, THEY CAN CAPITALIZE ON POVERTY AND IGNORANCE.

If we can live without relying much on the US for its assistance, the US will lose its significance in South East Asia.

Sad thing here is that they are doing this ..... "AT OUR OWN EXPENSE".

They are somewhat keeping us always relying on them for everything and always begging for help.

:dunno:

sayang talaga...countless opportunities just wasted along the way... :rifle:

Why not Research and Develop simple or just basic equipment, not like indigenous planes, helicopters, or patrol boats but simple things like:

Artillery shells-The AFP cannot support sustained operations no more than 2 weeks, specially artillery shells. After 2 weeks, army and marine gunners only give fire support to those in dire consequences, until they are resupplied with ammunition taken from other AFP commands, and the waiting causes casualties. Local companies already make locally made 110lb, 260lb, 500lb and 750lb iron bombs and a new 81mm cluster bomb for air force. It would be logical to make our own ammunition so that we could stock up on supplies so that prolonged operations does not need to wait around until they are resupplies. AFP took delivery of 100,000 105mm artillery shells from thailand during the Camp Abubakar campaign, as well as news about a cancelled deal from Pakistan where the ammunition were duds and were substandard.

Develop capability to locally manufacture 90mm and 106Recoiless Rifle rounds. The ammunition for these have to be bought from other nations, taiwan, south korea or others. We locally manufacture mortar round and tubes, but not Recoiless Rifle rounds. These are high value weapons and they serve as direct fire weapons and bunker busters.

Carrying Pouch-for M-60 machine guns. most regular army and marine units still wrap M-60 ammunition belts around their torsos. This in the jungle will create moisture and dirt on the bullets and will foul up the machine gun. SR/LRC/ForceRecon/SWAG have carrying pouches for the ammunition as well as a new local load bearing gear, which is being introduced to local army and marines. but carrying pouches still needed on a mass scale. http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2116/pab.htm
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2116/mmg.htm


Refurbishing of M-16a1 rifles. Can be done with the Government Arsenal or with a local company like FLORO. Replace the barrell, new handguard, pistol grip and replace needed parts in receiver. the US donated 30,000 refurbished A1 version at start of Balikatan, if we can't or dont want to do it here-i wouldnt know why-we can send it to the Americans to refurbish them. Better yet, upgrade A1 to A2 standard like what FLORO offers, or offered before, since they dont have it in their site now. We HAD the capability to license manufacture rifles, also HAD the manufacturing rights to the AR-18, which is a derivative of many guns today like HK G-36, Singaporean SA-80, UK L85, and japanese Type-89. If we had developed on the AR-18, we coulve made a rifle like the G-36 or Type-89. If we cant make our rifles yet, atleast refurbish them so our soldiers wont face jammed rifles in battle.

My ideas on upgrades on a budget.

The basic M16A1 could still be made into a potent weapon with the proper modifications done to it. Adapting an action similar to ZM Weapon’s mod for AR15s and M16s should give it improvement. The carrying handle should also be shaved off and instead replaced with rails wherein flip-up rear and front sights be integrated. The sights must also feature luminous dots similar to the Galil rifles. XM177s or Colt Commandos should also suffer the same mods to it to make them even a more potent yet compact tool. It’s also wise to adapt a low power scope capable of low light operations similar to that of the SUSAT for front line troops.

For fire support, the M16 LSW concept which has already been adopted by the AFP should receive further development attention. Taking into consideration the mods done on the HK 23E light machinegun and the G8A1, the M16 LSW could be a worthy package to augment teams still without any SAWs. The debate though on either being belt-fed or mag-fed should be first resolved. Both have their pros and cons which must be addressed by actual field inputs. Developing a dual feed system similar to the Minimi would be nice indeed but would incur much developmental costs. If mobility is more of an issue, it would be better to have it designed with a mag feed system similar to the Ultimax 100 weapon system. The advantages of having a mag feed are plentiful and one in particular is being able to reload even while on the run. The belt feed system on the other hand offers better fire support and suppression capability by the very fact that one can add another link even while the weapon is in action. Its action though must sport dual feeding paws similar to the HK MG4 light machinegun. A SUSAT type scope should also be made available to all M16 LSWs.

The old HK G3s and captured FN FALs should be resurrected back into service and field into action wherein they would fit the role the Dragunov does in the Red Army. A rifle that could reach farther and more accurately than the standard issue rifles. These must of course be re-conditioned and checked before re-issue.

Development should also be made to create a working local copy of the Colt SMG but in .45 ACP chambering. This should be made to accept the hot .45 loads that are currently issued to US SpecOps. As the development of this .45 Colt SMG clone and a suppressed variant of it, the Thompsons and M3s in AFP armories should be recalled back into service and made into suppressed models. These should then be issued at least one to each front-line units for stealth and surprise attacks. The Sterlings and KG9s in inventory should also be adapted for silenced operations and if possible a .45 modification be done to it.

M14s should also receive enhancements and upgrades. A basic upgrade is to replace the wood stock with a synthetic one. Jungle Rifle versions of it should also be fielded more especially to those working in areas that need the range and firepower it offers. A better magazine should be designed for this which would offer more ammo content yet still sport a compact size. The Spectre SMG’s magazine should offer a nice solution to this problem.

CAFGUs are basically armed with a mix of World War 2 vintage weapons. This should be stopped and instead all CAFGUs assigned or working in wide agricultural areas should be equipped with M1 Garands. Fire support to be supplied by BARs. These two workhorses must receive an enhancement program too to make them still potent tools even in tomorrow’s war. The Garands should be made mag fed yet retain the ability to be reloaded via clips. The Imperialist Japanese had made such a version then and we can perfect the design. Beretta has also sold a Garand copy that is mag fed which we can study and copy from. The BAR on the other hand is a bit of a problem. It is too light and has small ammo content for a machinegun yet too heavy for a rifle. It should be made to accept a mag that has more ammunition for it. To address the weight problem, it would be better to design a better muzzle brake to it to decrease its tendency to reach for the sky. It should also sport a quick change barrel feature which could be gained from the M16 LSW refinement study. As ammo for these wouldn’t be made easily available by our allies in case war breaks out these should slowly be made to accept and work properly with 7.62mm NATO ammunition. Also, rifle grenade adapters designed for the Garand should be made to accept modern hand grenades.

To CAFGUs assigned to populated areas in the rurals and provinces, these should be equipped instead with the M1 Carbine. Fire support still to be offered by the BAR. The M1 Carbines must also receive an enhancement program and a hotter more potent load be designed for it.

Meanwhile, continued refinement and development of the local copy of the Ruger Mini 14 must be insisted. This should be made to replace those Garands and M1 Carbines in CAFGU hands. These Mini 14 copies should be made to accept M16 magazines.

The exotic weapons that are in limited numbers in the AFP inventory should be delegated to SpecOps. However, on the numerous captured weapons like Kalashnikovs and the ChiCom clones of it, these should be made to receive our 5.56mm ammunition and slowly fielded into service. This program would not only address the need for sufficient weapons to all personnel but also make us able to adapt to our own use the enemy’s arms.

The M60 light machinegun although now replaced in US service has still potential untapped. It was derived from two outstanding Nazi weapons but due to nationalistic pride the M60’s development was attacked in the beginning hence the disappointing outcome. This could be further refined with careful study of the original designs it was taken from. Taking the experiences with more modern SAWs like the Minimi and the newly released HK MG4 we can make the M60 a better working tool.

The old Browning .30s still used by some units should also receive upgrades. These are real workhorses whose design has made it survive many wars. Or packaged right these can become proper support weapons for our troops. A twin or quad Browning .30 on a mobile armored package for some of our far flung unit would make a nice mobile support platform for our troops. An armored HumVee with a remote controlled turret armed with twin 30s should be a good support package. Just grab one of those ChiCom colored cameras with infra-red capability and mount a portable tv on the dash (these are sold seperately at Divisoria, Quiapo and most other areas that sell cheap Chinese goods).

Development and more widespread distribution of the little known locally designed and developed 40mm mag fed grenade launcher should be made. These are potent packages that are better than the old M79s and M203s. Grenadiers need no longer be contented with carrying just pistols for a sidearm. They can be equipped with one of the XM177s that have received the ZM Weapon mod for a truly compact backup piece. However, if the results have been disappointing on this weapon package, we should create clones of the old 40mm MGL used by the US during the Vietnam war. This or a better copy of the MGL designed by South Africa.

For anti-material role, it is not listed if the AFP does possess some of the old Imperialist Japanese 20mm anti-tank rifles. These rifles are mag fed and able to fire in full-auto albeit uncontrollably. These or such similar designs should be studied and adapted instead of buying new ones. Refinements for these could be made from the actual field reports.

In support to the recoilless rifles in service, captured RPGs should be made also available to troops. Modern ammo for these can be obtained from our friend, Red China. Mortars should also receive an upgrade program wherein studies from the smokeless and noiseless mortars and even the modern French shoulder-fired mortar be considered.

These enhancement programs may seem to cost much in the beginning but would benefit us more in the long run. Not only would we be a major player in the weapons upgrade market but also become self-reliant. Ammunition for these isn’t hard to acquire as most areas especially those in insurgent infested zones already have backyard industries creating ammunitions and even weapons. The .45 ammo should be retained and maintained for AFP issue while the Parabellum be assigned to the police. Body armor should also not be neglected and a local design and produced version must be made available.

Nice...id still stick to the M-14 though. AFP did experiment with different 7.62NATO rifles that would be for a sniper weapon, rifles like GALATZ-7.62version of galil, recently seen with SAF- and even 7.62NATO-chambered Dragunov from Yugoslavia. Keep trying to say that the AFP's squad weapon is the M-14 and even with introduction of SAW, they will not let the higher power of the M-14 go and field a squad firing only smaller caliber, when their enemies field older but more powerful Garands, M-14 and even Springfields. The AFP did have a program to improve CAFGU weapons. It involved an upgrade of M-1Garands being converted to M-14s, changing barrel, allow it to be magazine-loaded, other changes but it fires 7.62NATO ammunition. Do not know how much were fielded but they have them around, some mistakenly identified them as AK-47s, the AFP did order some 20,000 M-14 ammunition magazines. Could be replacements of lost ones and the ammunition of new rifles...for CAFGU?

Thu US has alot of surplus M-60s, many nations have been buying them out in cheap bulks. The Colombians by far have been buying them more than others. The AFP can do the same thing, buy alot of them cheap and do some refurbishment and new camouflage spray paint to to improve concealment in jungle :thumb: . Also the ammunition pouch for the Rambos....