Tuesday, February 27, 2018

What can a $10B annual defense budget buy and maintain?



We do not have to resort to fanboyism to answer this question. We have an actual living breathing example - the Republic of Singapore. Singapore's annual defense budget is about $10B.

So how much military muscle does Singapore pack for territorial defense? Here we go:

6 diesel attack submarines
6 guided missile frigates
6 guided missile corvettes
40 F-15 Eagles
60 F-16 Fighting Falcons
17 AH-64 Apaches
196 Leopard main battle tanks
18 HIMARS self-propelled rocket artillery
48 SSPH-1 self-propelled conventional artillery

Now, if the Philippines have the same amount of firepower, ask yourself these questions:

Would Communist China have dared seize and build a military installation on Mischief Reef?

Would Communist China have dared seize Panatag Shoal?


Monday, February 26, 2018

Noynoy was Right



A few years ago, former Philippine President Noynoy Aquino created quite a diplomatic stir when he publicly compared Xi Jinping to Adolf Hitler. It is now turning out Noynoy was right. Xi Jinping has maneuvered himself to become President-for-Life of Communist China.

There is no more doubt. We are facing an imperialist despot in our western borders. And unless we make a life-or-death stand for Our Republic's survival, the Philippines will become the first cornerstone in Xi Jinping's own 1,000-year reich.

Let us strengthen the territorial defense capabilities of our Armed Forces to address this threat. To enshrine this measure in our national policy, our legislative bodies should pass a law pegging our annual defense budget at 3% of GDP. This would amount to about $10B annually.

The Education Budget-based cap on our national defense spending should also be removed through legislative action.

Sunday, February 25, 2018

The Maldives Crisis: a blueprint for confronting Communist Chinese military adventurism



It seems that Beijing's much self-publicized 11-ship Maldives Intervention Force quickly evaporated into thin air. Beijing might be greedy but Beijing is not stupid. The Indian Navy by its lonesome would quickly make mincemeat out of Beijing's seriously outgunned fleet. And Beijing still has to contend with the possible intervention of other Western navies, covert or otherwise.

This should bring a groundswell of hope to the small SEA countries that Beijing is currently trying to bully into submission - the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Beijing can be made to back down. The key is Superior Firepower.

India's investment in a substantial annual defense budget clearly paid off. Vietnam and Indonesia appears to be following the same strategy.

Only the Philippines is being left behind.

Is it because of lack of funds... or is it because of lack of Love of Country?





Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Big Trouble in Little Maldives




According to published accounts, an 11-ship flotilla of Communist China's PLA Navy is on their way to the Maldives to help discourage an Indian military intervention in the political crisis currently engulfing the islands. A handful of Guided Missile Destroyers and Guided Missile Frigates substantially account for the long-range punch of this small fleet. Of course, it would be naive to believe that Communist China's silent service did not tag along for the ride too. A pair of nuclear attack submarines is probably shadowing the fleet.

By contrast, here's what India can muster:

1 Aircraft Carrier
1 Akula Nuclear Attack Sub
1 Nuclear Ballistic Sub
14 Diesel Attack Subs
11 Guided Missile Destroyers
9 Guided Missile Frigates

The potential area of conflict is also well within range of the land-based combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

But I wouldn't be surprised if, by this time, Beijing has already forward-deployed its own combat aircraft on the Maldives itself.

Nevertheless, the tactical balance of power is still overwhelmingly on the side of India. So it would be safe to assume that Beijing's little fleet will end up in Barnacle Land should it try to interfere with any Indian military deployment in the Maldives.

But that would only be the opening salvo. Beijing can quickly retaliate with a land attack on the northern territories of India.

The outcome of this impending confrontation might well decide Beijing's military adventurism in the Western Pacific.

If India blinks and let Beijing have her way in the Maldives, Beijing will surely be more emboldened in muscling her way into the territories of her Western Pacific neighbors.

But if Beijing's Maldives military adventure ends up in a catastrophe, the ensuing political fall-out might force the Communist Party to once again look inward for the better of the next few decades.

This will be buy time for frontline countries like the Philippines and Indonesia in strengthening their respective militaries.