TSAMTO, July 11th. The Israeli company Elbit Systems has shipped to the Armed Forces of the Philippines the second batch of Sabra light tanks on the ASCOD-2 tracked chassis.
According to a video posted on Update PH on July 8, a new batch of tanks after completion of production at Elbit Systems was loaded onto trailers and will soon be shipped to the Philippines by sea.
The exact number of tanks in the second batch, which will be transferred to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, is currently unknown.
As previously reported by CAMTO, the project for the acquisition of light tanks is provided for by the second stage ("Second Horizon") of the program for the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
In January 2021, a contract for the supply of light tanks to the Philippine Ground Forces based on the ASCOD-2 tracked platform manufactured by the Spanish General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Barbara and the Pandur-2 wheeled BBM platform manufactured by the Czech Excalibur Army was signed with the Israeli company Elbit Systems. The cost of the order was 9.49 billion Philippine pesos ($172 million). The work must be completed within three years.
It is assumed that under the contract, Elbit Systems will provide the supply of 18 tanks on the ASCOD-2 tracked chassis, one command vehicle on the ASCOD-2 tracked chassis, one BRAM on the ASCOD-2 chassis, 10 heavy-armed combat vehicles on the Pandur-2 chassis with an 8x8 wheel formula.
Both platforms will be equipped with a turret with a 105 mm cannon and a number of subsystems developed by Elbit Systems, including electron-optical sights, fire control systems, TORCH-XTM combat control systems, software-controlled E-LynXTM radios and life support systems.
The reservation of the Sabra tank provides ballistic protection that meets the requirements of the NATO STANAG-4569 Level standard.4. The machine can be equipped with active protection systems.
The first of the 20 armored vehicles ordered on a tracked chassis of the Philippines was received for testing in December 2022. The tank was first demonstrated on December 19, 2022 during a ceremony held at Camp Aguinaldo (Quezon City) in the presence of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to celebrate the 87th anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The first batch of new serial Sabra tanks was delivered to the Philippines by sea at the end of October 2023. At that time, photos appeared on Philippine social networks showing the unloading of at least 9 armored vehicles on the ASCOD-2 tracked chassis from a commercial cargo ship.
According to the assessment of the MaxDefense Philippines resource, at least 8 vehicles in the first batch were light Sabra tanks on a tracked chassis. One of the vehicles was missing a turret, which suggested the delivery of an armored repair and evacuation or command vehicle.
Equipped with a 105 mm cannon as the main armament and a 7.62mm machine gun paired with it, the light tank will enter the combat structure of the 1st tank battalion of the Pambato armored Division. It is expected that the division will receive 20 new Sabra light tanks and 10 Pandur-2 armored vehicles delivered by the Israeli company Elbit Systems Land between 2023 and 2024.
