Elite Philippine units now using locally made rifles

Special units of the Philippines armed forces have started using locally manufactured assault rifles, in a development seen as a major step in achieving the country’s goal towards military self-reliance.

According to officials, the Presidential Security Group (PSG) has recently received 145 units of F5-Direct Gas Impingement System (DGIS) assault rifles from United Defence Manufacturing Corp., a wholly Filipino-owned maker of M4 (5.56 Nato) and M110 (7.62 Nato) rifles. The PSG’s chief responsibility is to protect the President and Vice-President as well as visiting heads of state and members of the Cabinet.

“It is an honour for United Defence Manufacturing Corp. (UDMC) to have our rifles chosen to protect the most important official of the land,” Gene Carino, UDMC chief executive officer told Gulf News in an interview. “This is testimony to the trust given to the firearms that we manufacture,” he added.

The design of the F5-DGIS is derived from the reliable and battle-proven M4 5.56 direct impingement system, which is currently widely used by US-allied countries.

Supplying to the PSG is a major achievement for UDMC and a landmark accomplishment for the Philippines, which had been largely dependent on imported firearms.

The 4,000-strong PSG is among the best equipped and well trained composite unit of the Philippine armed forces and national police.

Recently, a squad of presidential guards survived an hour-long attack by some 40 communist New Peoples’ Army insurgents in Arakan, North Cotabato.

According to Carino, assault rifle units that would be provided to the PSG would be equipped with reflex sights that enable the shooter to quickly aim at the target and hit it accurately.

Aside from the distinction of supplying rifles to the PSG, UDMC had earlier provided 200 M4-type rifles to commandos of the Philippine Air Force Special Operations Wing. The Special Action Force has also ordered 20-inch barrel Designated Marksman Rifles from UDMC.

For some time, the Philippine Army Marksmen have been winning international competitions using UDMC rifles, which are known for its reliability and most of all for its accuracy.

“Just this Friday, we signed a supply contract for 233 units of Designated Marksman Rifles to the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force. Next month, we will supply the new batch of competition rifles to the Philippine Army Shooting Contingent,” Carino said.

He added that UDMC is carving its niche as a provider of accurate and dependable rifles to the Philippine military and to the Myanmar Army, the latter also now using UDMC rifles in international shooting competitions.

“The Army Special Forces and the PSG are also now field testing UDMC’s M110 precision rifles in the higher calibre 7.62 Nato calibre,” he added.

Previously, the Philippine military only sourced its rifles from the United States.

President Rodrigo Duterte and defence secretary Lorenzana have encouraged UDMC to expand their capacity in order to provide more of the small arms requirement of the local armed services.

With the entry of UDMC in the assault rifles and precision rifles category, the capability of local firearms makers is on a roll. “Our goal is to ultimately supply the full requirements of the Philippine military and law enforcement agencies for assault and precision rifles. We strive to achieve this objective so that we could contribute to the country’s Self Reliant Defence Posture (SRDP) program,” he said. The Department of National Defence’s SRDP is focused on upgrading the capabilities of the Philippine military through indigenous production of weapon systems, platforms and armaments.

source: GULF NEWS