Naval Command, Control and Communications Equipment Lot 4a - Communications Vans with ILS Acquisition Project of the Philippine Navy

 As part of efforts to improve the Command, Control and Communications (C3) capabilities of the Philippine Navy, particularly the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), the service has made efforts to procure new communications equipment under the Horizon 2 phase of the Revised AFP Modernization Program as part of the Naval Command, Control and Communications Equipment Acquisition Project.

The project has 5 sub-lots that are being procured separately but simultaneously.

This resource page will focus on Lot 4A which is for the Supply and Delivery of Communications Vans including Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package, which is the bare vehicle component of the project.

The Kia KM452 shop van variant of the venerable Kia KM450 1 1/4-ton truck. Photo credits to Kia Motors.

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Project Summary:

Naval Command, Control and Communications Equipment Lot 4A - Communications Vans with ILS:

Note: Edited as of 15 September 2023.

* End User: Philippine Navy (multiple units)

* Quantity: 30 Communications Vehicles, and ILS package

* Modernization Phase: Horizon 2 Priority Phase Projects of RAFPMP

* Project ABC: Php170,610,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Government-to-Government (G2G) deal with South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND)

* Source of Funding: AFP Modernization Fund for FY 2022

* SARO Release: SARO-BMB-D-22-0005200 dated 21 June 2022 worth Php170,590,200.00

* Winning Proponent: KIA Motors Corp.

* Product for Delivery: Kia KM42 1 1/4-ton Truck Shop Van

* Contract Price: Php170,590,200.00

* Residual Price: Php19,800.00

* First post by MaxDefense: 16 September 2023

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PNNC3EquipmentLot4aAcquisition #PMCNC3EquipmentLot4aAcquisition

* Status: This project is part of the Horizon 2 Phase Priority Projects under RAFPMP, which aims to improve the Command, Control and Communications (C3) capabilities of the Philippine Marine Corps. This lot specifically supply and delivery of vehicle to be used as Communications Van, and acquired through G2G with South Korea. SARO for full amount was released on 21 June 2022, and Notice of Award was released on 29 June 2022.

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Overview:

The Philippine Navy has allotted more than Php2 billion for the acquisition of new communications equipment that will be used by both the Philippine Navy proper and the Philippine Marine Corps.

The Lot 4a focuses on the supply of vehicles to be used as communications vans, which would later on be installed with communications equipment to be procured as part of the project's Lot 4b phase.

A budget of Php170,610,000.00 was allocated for the project, and will be acquired through Government-to-Government procurement with South Korea's Ministry of National Defense, as indicated in the DND's Procurement Monitoring Report B12a as of 11 July 2023.

The project as a whole was planned to be funded through Multi-Year Contractual Authority (MYCA) payments for 4 years beginning 2021, although several sub-lots of the project itself only started in 2022. Lot 4A itself only started in 2022, and is expected to be delivered to the Philippine Navy by 2023.

Based on simple mathematics, a budget of Php5.69 million was allocated for the acquisition of each vehicle, which means these are within the price range of the Kia KM450 series light truck.

Based on the technical specifications of Naval C3 Equipment Lot 4b, the vehicle to be used will be the Kia KM452 1 1/4-ton vehicle with shop van body. At least we know that the vehicle is no stranger to the Philippine Navy & Philippine Marine Corps. It is surprising though that armoring was not made prior to delivery of the vehicles, which may mean that either the price of armoring in South Korea is far higher than doing it in the Philippines, or Kia has not offered to have them armored.

The Kia KM450 series has been in service with the Armed Forces of the Philippines since the early 2000s, and it already has a vey robust supply chain, high experience in maintaining and sustaining the vehicle, and even modifying it for certain needs. 

It is very practical for the Philippine Navy to select this vehicle although we actually prefer the use of the newer KLTV chassis which are newer and more powerful, and can be procured already with armoring. 

The vehicles would undergo armoring, modification, and installation of communications equipment which are part of the Naval C3 Equipment - Lot 4b's project scope.

Communications equipment mounted on a vehicle for the US Marine Corps. Photo credits to Strategic Intelligence Service.

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U P D A T E S:
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30 June 2022:

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released the SARO for the Naval C3 Equipment Lot 4a - Communications Van Acquisition Project, with SARO-BMB-D-22-0005200 dated 21 June 2022 worth Php170,590,200.00, equivalent to the total value of the project.

This means the awarding of the project to the winning proponent, which is believed to be Kia Motors, is not too far away.

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22 September 2023:

According to the DND's Procurement Monitoring Report B12a as of July 2023, the DND has already released the Notice of Award of the project to the winning proponent, which was not named.

Our mother page MaxDefense Philippines confirmed through its sources that Kia Motors was indeed the recipient of the award, which can confirm that the vehicle to be used is either based on the older Kia KM450, or the newer KLTV.

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15 September 2023:

It was confirmed through the Technical Specifications of the Naval C3 Equipment Lot 4b - Armoring of Communications Vehicles, and Supply & Integration of Communications Equipment Acquisition Project, that the vehicle supplied is the Kia KM452 shop van variant of the Kia KM450 1 1/4-ton 4x4 light truck.

Specs of Naval C3 Equipment Lot 4b did not mention any vehicle name, but slipped in to discreetly mention KM 452 as the vehicle of application, or the vehicle procured under the Naval C3 Equipment Lot 4a project. Photo screengrabbed from DND's Bidding Documents for Naval C3 Equipment Lot 4b.

It is not yet confirmed though if the vehicles are already in the Philippines, although tendering for Lot 4b means that the vehicles are either on its way, or could already be in the Philippine Navy's yards awaiting for them to be upgraded to Communications Vans.

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First post and edit: 15 September 2023
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource