France says ready to help Philippine Navy with dream of having submarines
MANILA, Philippines — As talks between the two countries continue, France on Tuesday said it is "more than ready" to help and work with the Philippines on plans to include submarines in its fleet.
Other countries in Southeast Asia — Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam had them as of 2015 — already operate submarines. Myanmar took delivery of a China-made one in late 2021.
"France is obviously committed to work more closely with the Philippines and have a more strategic relations with the Philippines so, of course, we are ready," French Ambassador Michèle Boccoz said in a press briefing on Wednesday during its Naval Day Symposium.
Boccoz said France is in discussions with the Philippine government on the acquisitions two submarines by the Naval Group, a French company that designs and builds submarines and related assets. It is the same firm behind the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang patrol ship.
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However, it is not yet clear whether the Philippines will buy the Scorpène submarines, which the company said could be acquired through a government-to-government program.
While Naval Group Vice President for India and Asia-Pacific Nicolas de la Villamarque shied away from discussions on cost, he maintained that the firm stands ready to assist the Philippines in training personnel to operate the submarines.
"It’s much more about what we can provide [as] a global partnership in terms of education, training, in terms of transfer of technology," de la Villamarque said.
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'Need' of an archipelagic state
Victor Manhit, president of Stratbase ADR Institute for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized that the Philippines, as an archipelagic state, needs to grow its "strategic assets to protect and assert our rights."
This means better maritime defense in light of a dispute with China, which has been encroaching in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea despite a 2016 Hague ruling invalidating Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea.
The Rodrigo Duterte administration, citing the Philippines' weak armed forces, sought warmer relations with Beijing, a policy that President Ferdinant Marcos Jr. has indicated he will continue.
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"The next step should be [figuring out] how do we assert our rights? Is it about investing? That’s very important, but more importantly it’s also, how do we work with countries with [the] technology that can help us strengthen our capacity with regards to the security, maritime challenges of our archipelagic nature of the Philippines,” Manhit said.
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The ongoing talks to acquire assets from France come as the Armed Forces of the Philippines continues its modernization program.
Earlier this week, the Israel embassy in Manila also pitched to Philippine defense agencies Israel-based firms and their anti-drone systems.
The Department of National Defense has long been considering getting a submarine to boost the country's maritime defense.
Last year, the DND was looking into getting a submarine from South Korea for the Philippine Navy and, in 2018, Russia was also ready to help Philippines with acquiring one.
Should the Philippines take on France’s offer, de la Villamarque said it may take five years to build a submarine and another year might be needed to ensure it is fully operational.
At least two submarine crews and a reserve team will undergo training for to four years in France. Officials from the Philippine Navy have long attended trainings and military courses in the European country.
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