The M113A2 Armored Personnel Carrier mounted with a 25mm unmanned turret system was acquired by the Philippine Army as part of the Armor Acquisition Project under the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Capability Upgrade Program, Division Commander Major Gen. Edgar Gonzales said.
The primary armament is a 25mm MK 242 Bushmaster machine gun while the secondary weapon is a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
“In addition, the gunner’s observation system is composed of a day CCD camera, thermal imager, and a laser range finder,” Gonzales said.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana vowed to support the acquisition of more upgraded armored tanks for the Philippine Army.
After the close inspection of the M113A2 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) on Tuesday, Lorenzana emphasized that he will concentrate on the allotment of additional budget for the purchase of more APCs.
“We will get more of these (armored vehicles). Hopefully, we can allocate funds from the government,” he said.
Lorenzana noted that they can save bullets because of the concentrated shots of the APCs.
The defense secretary said President Rodrigo Duterte might personally scrutinize the upgraded armored vehicles. “I’m sure he [President Duterte] will be delighted to see these [APCs],” he said.
It was learned that at present, there are four upgraded armored tanks in the Mechanized Infantry Division that will eventually be assigned in Sulu.
