The United States (US) has sent a new Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) to the Philippine Navy which will improve its maritime surveillance abilities.
Navy officials are scheduled to get the Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS), a self-sustained, unmanned Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) systems given by the US government during a turnover ceremony with US Deputy Embassy Chief of Mission to the Philippines Michael Klescheski and Philippine Navy Flag Officer In Command, Vice Adm. Joseph Ronald Mercado at the Naval Education and also Training Command in San Antonio, Zambales.
This would improve the Navy’s capacity in maritime intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance by detecting maritime and air traffic within the country’s coastal waters.
Around 16 personnel of the Philippine Naval Information and Communication Technology Center passed through a six-week training program to study assembly, handling, operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the radar blimp. They will guide the next batch of operators.
The TARS is assumed to expand the Navy’s capacity in maritime intelligence surveillance reconnaissance by efficiently detecting maritime and air traffic within the country’s coastal waters using sensors.
The new radar system will also be utilized in the conduct of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response exercises.
