Locally developed systems are at the center of the Philippine Army’s next move toward a more self-reliant military force.
One of these is the Controller-Operated Battle Ready Armament (COBRA), built by engineers from the country’s Department of Science and Technology.
COBRA is a remote-controlled gun mount that can be integrated into military vehicles or stationary posts, letting troops operate heavy weapons while staying protected from direct fire.
“With COBRA, our soldiers will no longer be exposed to heavy fire when operating heavy weapons,” Philippine Army Chief Lieutenant General Antonio G. Nafarrete said.
“This project is not just a product for national defense. It symbolizes our collective pursuit of a self-reliant posture through science, technology and innovation.”
A Push for Unmanned Systems
The army is also working with the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to develop SAFEGUARD, a ground-based unmanned robot for surveillance and field evaluation.
Short for Surveillance and Field Evaluator for Ground-based Unmanned Autonomous Robot, the system is designed to survey unfamiliar terrain, assess the impact of combat operations, and collect tactical data without exposing troops to danger.
The service helps with design input and testing as a co-implementer.
Together, COBRA and SAFEGUARD highlight the army’s drive for a self-reliant force rooted in local research partnerships.
“It also aligns with [the Armed Forces of the Philippines’] Modernization program which will provide means and resources for soldiers to accomplish every mission effectively and support the military’s active transition to external security operations,” the army stated.
