Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday Japan is offering to sell one of its air defense radar systems to the Philippines to help boost air and maritime territorial surveillance capabilities.

“Yes, they are offering to us their latest radars. It is one of the platforms being evaluated by the Philippine Air Force (PAF),” Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said Japan’s air defense radar can track aircraft and sea craft entering the country’s airspace and maritime domain.

The defense secretary was apparently referring to Tokyo’s upgraded Mitsubishi Electric-made FBS-3 Air defense radar system which Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force has been using since 1991.

The air defense radar system would cost the Philippines between $8.87 million to $17.7 million if the deal pushes through.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) Technical Working Group (TWG) is evaluating Tokyo’s offer along with other defense contractors from other countries.

Manila has approached the US and Israel regarding its air defense radar acquisition project in line with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Revised Modernization Project.

In March this year, Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force donated five TC-90 trainer aircraft to the Philippine Navy. These TC -90s have become surveillance planes. DMS