So the Philippines received the first Israeli-made Spyder air defense system
With its top-notch features, Spyder is considered one of the world's best short and medium range mobile air defence systems
It will significantly increase the air defense power of the Philippines
On July 5, the Philippine Air Force announced that two of the three Spyder air defense missile systems will be delivered to Philippines in the last quarter of 2022
According to a tweet posted on September 27 by Max Montero, the 1st battery of Spyder systems has been delivered ahead of schedule
The Philippine procurement project includes 3 batteries. A battery consists of three or more missile launchers
The first Spyder Philippines Air Defense Systems simulator was delivered to the training center last April 26
The facility is located at the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca, Pampanga
The simulator training center aims to develop three different capabilities: detection through radar, command, and control, and missile firing
SPYDER is short for Surface-to-Air Python and Derby mobile-air defense system that was developed by the Israeli defense technology firm
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, with assistance from Israel Aerospace Industries
The SPYDER is a low-level, quick-reaction surface-to-air missile system capable of engaging aircraft
helicopters, unmanned air vehicles, drones, and precision-guided munitions
It provides air defence for fixed assets and for point and area defence for mobile forces in combat areas
As its name suggests, SPYDER is a unique air defense system, which is the only system that launches two different types of missile from the same launcher pad
The essential idea creating this system was to make it as easy to operate as possible
so that even not very experienced and skilled soldier could operate the system
The system's missiles are Python 5 and Derby, designed by Rafael
These are essentially air-to-air missiles, modified to be used as surface-to-air missiles
The Python 5 short range missile has a range of 15 km. It has infrared guidance and imagery archive
It can identify a wide range of airborne threats
The Derby is a short-to-medium range missile
It has an active homing guidance through radio frequency. After being launch it locks on, tracks and destroys the target
The Derby has a range of up to 50 km. Both the Derby and Python 5 missiles find the targets themselve
Also both of these missiles are smokeless. It makes harder to detect visually the missile and its launch position.
According to the report, the Philippine variant is SPYDER-MR. The launcher vehicle carries 8 missiles
All missiles are fitted with boosters for extended range. Most of the system elements are the same in both MR & SR versions
The SPYDER MR system is additionally supported by a truck-mounted high performance surveillance radar, that gives longer range
Both versions can carry any mix of missiles
The SPYDER defense web can be arranged in less than 5 minutes
Once the battery is set up the first missile can be launched within 5 seconds
Systems radar controls over 40 km area and allow the system to operate in day/night and all weather condition
The SPYDER air defense system can be based on various chassis
The system will give the Philippines its first ever umbrella cover and response against aerial attacks