Philippine Army to receive 114 M-113A2 armored personnel carriers from United States 30402163

Defence & Security News - Philippines
 
Philippine Army to receive 114 M-113A2 armored personnel carriers from United States
The Philippine Army is set to receive on Thursday 114 refurbished M-113A2 armored personnel carriers (APCs) acquired through the US Excess Defense Articles (EDA) last year. This was disclosed by Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao in an interview Wednesday.
     
Phillipine Army to receive 114 M 113A2 armoredpersonnel carriers from United States 640001M-113A2 armored personnel carriers field demonstration by the Philippine Army 
     
Army spokesman Col. Benjamin Hao said the M113A2 vehicles will "enhance our speed and our personnel protection and even our firepower." Hao said the vehicles will be formally turned over to the Army's Mechanized Infantry Division (MID), which currently has about 350 assorted armored vehicles, in a ceremony in Tarlac.

The first 77 units were shipped on December 9, 2015 while the remaining 37 units were delivered on December 14, 2015.

The 114 M-113A2 will be formally turned over to Army commander Lt. Gen. Eduardo Ano who will then hand it to MID head Major Gen. Edgar Gonzales during short ceremonies in Camp O' Donnell, Capas, Tarlac Thursday.

All weapons, radios and other equipment of these APCs are installed, making them mission-capable. "These equipment will be brought down the line to complete the Table of Equipment (TOE) (of all MID battalions) the Army spokesperson said.

The MID has five mechanized battalion with the theoretical TOE of 36 armored vehicles each. The M-113A2 was developed to provide a survivable and reliable light tracked vehicle that allows troops to be brought forward under armor for dismounted operations.

Commissioning of these vehicles will greatly boost the numbers of the 343 armored vehicle-strong MID
.