Philippines interested in Indonesian medical support ship

After purchasing two Strategic Sealift Vessel (SSV) warships from PT PAL Indonesia, the Philippine government is considering putting in another order for a medical support vessel from Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder.

During the 2016 Asian Defense & Security (ADAS) exhibition in Manila, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana held a discussion with Brig. Gen. Jan Pieter Ate from the Indonesian ADAS delegation on Indonesian defense products.

“The Secretary of National Defense and the Philippines Navy chief of staff are impressed with the medical support vessel that will be fit for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations,” Jan Pieter, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology.

According to Jan Pieter, the Philippine secretary of defense had shown a deep interest in the 123-meter vessel and spent a lot of time looking at the vessel’s mock-up.

It was reported that the Philippines had also put in an order for the CN235-200 and N212i aircraft from state-owned airplane maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia in 2015.

The three-day ADAS 2016 exhibition ends on Friday.

According to its official website, ADAS 2016 attracts exhibitors from around the world and works closely with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).