The Philippines is taking steps to ensure China does not dominate the South China Sea by building its first BrahMos anti-ship missile base aimed at the contested waters. Satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies appears to show the development of the base, which includes a high bay for maintenance and testing, as well as a separate shelter for missile storage.
Several military and maritime experts analyzed the images, noting the base’s similarity to BrahMos sites in India where the missiles are manufactured.
Developed with Russia’s help, the BrahMos is a versatile, long-range supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from land, sea or air. It can reach speeds just under Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound. The missile has a reported range of about 290 km, or just a tick over 180 miles.
BrahMos Aerospace said the missile operates on a fire-and-forget principle, meaning it can autonomously guide itself to its target once fired. The BrahMos can carry conventional warheads weighing over 600 pounds. Combined with the kinetic energy from its supersonic flight, the BrahMos is bringing a bad day to any ship it meets.
According to Naval News, the Philippines started construction of the new missile site at Naval Station Leovigildo Gantioqui, located on the western coast of Luzon and facing the South China Sea. This positioning places the Scarborough Shoal — one of the region’s most disputed areas — within range.
The Philippine Marine Corps purchased three batteries of BrahMos missiles, valued at around $375 million. Leading maritime experts theorize that the Corps could establish two more anti-ship missile bases: one at Camp Cape Bojeador, which would cover most of the Luzon Strait, and potentially one on Lubang Island, which overlooks Manila Bay and maritime access to the capital city of the Philippines.
It is likely the Philippines will acquire more than just three BrahMos batteries in the future, as the Philippine Army also identified the missile system as a target for procurement, along with the U.S.-made HIMARS. Other countries in the region, such as Vietnam and Indonesia, are also interested in procuring their own BrahMos missile batteries, because no one wants to cede control of the South China Sea to China.
