MANILA, Philippines – Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay ginamit na ng Philippine Army ang bagong biling Sabrah light tanks sa live fire phase ng Combined Arms Training Exercise “Katihan” sa Crow Valley sa Capas, Tarlac nitong Biyernes, Marso 7.
Layon ng live fire drills na subukan ang kapabilidad ng Army para sa combined arms operations.
“A combined arms live fire exercise is where we schedule all the indirect fire and direct fire weapons prior to the assault. So, as part of the overarching scenario before the infantry assaults objective, we subject the targets to both indirect and direct fire—it’s a combination of artillery, mortars and guns from our tanks,” ayon kay Brig. Gen. Michael Logico, CATEX Katihan exercise director.
Ang Sabrah light tanks ay armado ng 105 mm cannons.
Pormal na tinanggap ng Philippine Army ang Israeli-made tanks noong nakaraang taon, kung saan ang pagbili nito ay bahagi ng Horizon 2 ng modernization program ng Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Ginamit din sa naturang exercise ang iba pang major assets ng Army katulad ng ATMOS 105 mm Howitzers, at 81 mm at 60 mm mortars.
Ani Logico, layon ng drill na palakasin ang kahandaan ng Army na labanan ang mga banta, at palakasin ang precision at tactical proficiency ng iba-ibang units.
“For ground operations, it’s a combination of infantry, artillery and armed units working side by side. Part of it is not only testing the capability of these arms, but also how they work together as part of a combined arms team,” sinabi ni Logico.
“Any armor platform provides you the advantages of speed, firepower and protection. These are essential capabilities that you need, especially if you’re going to mobile warfare. They are lethal in both the offense and the defense.”
“When you are already doing this at the component level, you can lead that up to the joint exercises together with the maritime and air forces,” pagpapatuloy niya. RNT/JGC
