again, the AFP has some $180 million on the table to be used in defense spending. some projects to consider for the PA are as follows:

*finally upgrade the scorpion tank. upgrade program was halted because of suspicious bidding practices (money on upgrade program may still be there waiting to be released). replace 77mm gun with 90mm cockerill. use the 76mm guns on the V-150s and kalakians. upgrade scorpion with night optics and extra armor.

*more indegenous UAVs. 1 per battalion. currently at 1 locally made UAV per brigade. more isra/singa-made blue horizon, longer range, endurance, and higher celing than locals.

*GIAT upgrade kits for M101 howitzer. basically new weapon that has a longer rech than current M101 howitzers.

*more locally and foreign made radios.

*refurbish as much armored vehicles as possible. emphasis on tracked vehicles AIFVs and M113.

*as much helmets and knee pads as possible. marines got taiwanese kevlar helmets on the PASGT style, 500 units, PA could follow suit. marines also recieved 1400 US-made PASGT helmets in 1996. US PASGT models cost $190-$240 per helmet depending on size. taiwanese PASGT copy cost $150. the marines got mad and didnt issue the 500 taiwanese because some claimed it was substandard, marines tested it and it did pass US military specificatons and was immediately given to marines in training. 1 marine brigade already fully equipped with PASGT, while army has been seen with PASGT, and steel pot, so its time to move on. marine plan is to issue PASGT helmets to current battalion undergoing retraining and rearming in cavite. south korea also makes PASGT copies, and they also make kevlar helmets fashioned in M-1 steel pot style.

*request more US M-35 trucks and humvees. or buy them.

*research and development on local production of 105mm howitzer, 106/90recoiless rifle ammunition. philippines does not locally manufacture these ammo as well as others, they are invaluable and expensive to order and deliver from foreign source. as well as the possibility of facing a blockade in which PA cannon ammo might run out.

*research and development on CMC cruiser, to replace the kennedys.

*joint precurement with marines on armburst anti-tank weapon.

*more PA-PMC joint precurement of M-249 SAWs. precure FN-MAG as well.

*refurbished M-16a1 rifles. same or almost the same standard as the US-donated examples. or FLORO-designed upgrade of M-16a1 to -A2 standard.

so on and so forth...$180 not much but can be used to improve capability.

Marine Taiwan kevlar helmets did resist some test rounds and shrapnel hits but nowhere near the performance of US made helmets.

No more SAWs - lets get the cheaper but better Ultimax.

I read a report sometime ago that the most complained about weapon in Iraq is the M249 SAW.

The Marine gunners actually liked the Ultimax during the evaluation but it lost out to the Minimi.Some say it was more a political decision than a military one.

yes the PMC did favor the Ultimax, but the army favored the M-249. others favored the south korean SAWs, others Negev. but the army won out, partly because the army was going to get a bigger share in the precurement program and they were paying more. the army also wanted the M-249 because they wanted commonality with the US military. or also because the belgians accepted sounter-trade agreement with the philippines to offset the price.

personnaly if it was for a 5.56NATO calibre SAW, i personally wourldve picked either the israeli negev or the south african SS-77. the SS-77 its 2 guns in 1. its standard version is for the 7.62NATO round , but it comes with kits to convert it to fire 5.56NATO roundsd within minutes. 7.62 version for platoon weapon, 5.56 for SAW.

as for the helmets, the taiwanese examples DID PASS the PMC requirements for the contract, but yes it doesnt have stopping power as US copies but its better than steel pot designs or none at all.

Does anyone have anymore details, pictures etc of the SS-77 other than whats in Modern Firearms website?

any updates on these projects and/or PA procurements?

:aberet:

I've seen one Taiwanese helmet hit by multiple rounds of .45 caliber with a distance of 5 meters. Hindi nga tumagos pero palagay ko gulay na utak nun kung sino man ang nakasuot nuon.

You know what I mean ... the bullet almost penetrate but surely for the one wearing the helmet it will still make a dent on the skull of the person.