Japan State Minister of Defense Oniki Makoto witnessed the formal turnover of one TPS-P14ME Mobile Air Surveillance Radar System from Mitsubishi Electric Corp. at Camp Aguinaldo on Monday.

Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya turned over the radar system documents to Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. and handed them over to Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura, vice chief of staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

This was then entrusted it to Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreno, commanding general of the Philippine Air Force.

In his message read by Oniki, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said that they are pleased that Japanese equipment contributes to the defense of the Philippines.

"We are pleased that our equipment will contribute to the defense of the Philippines' airspace, territorial waters, and exclusive economic zone," he said.

"We will continue to contribute to the enhancement of the Philippines' security capabilities, including the provision of the remaining two radars and the formation of further cooperation projects," he added.

Kihara also underscored the importance of the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines in strengthening regional peace, security, and stability.

"Japan and the Philippines are geographically close, and cooperation between the two countries is indispensable. As the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region becomes more severe, if both countries can enhance surveillance capabilities and cooperate with each other, it will contribute to improving deterrence," he said."It is critically important for Japanese security, for Japan to work together with our allies and like-minded countries including the Philippines, to achieve a free and open international order based on the rule of law, and to ensure peace and stability in the region," he added.

In his message, Teodoro also expressed his gratitude towards the Japanese government.

"Let me once again express our gratitude and our commitment to work more deeply with the government and the people of Japan. we face similar challenges and we shall overcome these challenges and face these challenges together," he said.

Teodoro also expressed his confidence that the new radar system will significantly bolster the Philippines' overall operational readiness and security posture.

He cited the commitment of the people of Japan to assist the Philippines in the joint and collaborative effort to uphold rules-based international orders and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"It is with deep satisfaction that I see our bilateral relation progressing at the speed that it is today," said Teodoro.

The newly-acquired mobile radar is one of the four units of the air surveillance radar systems acquired for the PAF under Horizon 2 of the AFP Modernization program.

This mobile radar allows the military to quickly set up surveillance of air and surface targets in remote or strategic areas.

Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo, PAF spokesperson, said the mobile radar can be used as back up if one of the radar units experience problems.

"We can assure that all of our radars will be up at the same time. It is a backup radar also in case there will be problems in other radars," she said.

She added that such radars can also be deployed in islands "as long as it can be transported via ship". Robina Asido/DMS