ORD PABAC2-061-24 Carbine, 5.56mm (AR15/M4 Platform), Gas Piston Acquisition Project of the Philippine Army

 The Philippine Army (PA) has raised a requirement for the acquisition of new 5.56mm Carbines as part of its acquisition for Fiscal Year 2024, despite being released on Fiscal Year 2025.

This is part of a multi-year effort to improve the overall firepower delivery capability of the force, as well as replace ageing or lost/damaged assets.

With this, the Philippine Army, through its Bids and Awards Committee 2 (PABAC-2), invited manufacturers and suppliers to submit a bid for the Carbine, 5.56mm (AR15/M4 Platform), Gas Piston Acquisition Project.

An M4-type rifle during tests. Photo credits to The Firearms Blog.

Project Summary:

Carbine, 5.56mm (AR15/M4 Platform), Gas Piston Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 30 December 2025

* Project Number: ORD PABAC2-061-24

* End User: Philippine Army

* Minimum Quantity: 8,234 units

* Modernization Phase: Philippine Army GAA Acquisition for 2024

* Project ABC: Php806,932,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding

* Source of Funding: Philippine Army GAA Funds for 2024

* SARO Release: N/A

* Winning Proponent: Dasan Machineries Co. Ltd. (SK) through United Defense Manufacturing Corporation (PH)

* Product for Delivery: Dasan DSAR-15 5.56mm assault rifle

* Total Quantities to be Delivered: 15,626 units

* Contract Price: Php752,007,485.88

* Residual Difference (Savings): Php54,924,514.12

* First post by MaxDefense: 23 December 2025 (this post)

* MaxDefense Searching  Hashtag:  #PACarbine556GasPiston2024Acquisition

* Status: Public tender was opened on 23 October 2025, SOBE was scheduled on 17 November 2025, moved to 24 November 2025. Notice of Award released in favour of South Korea's Dasan Machineries Co. Ltd. thorough its local representative United Defense Manufacturing Corp. on 11 December 2025, NTP and Contract signed on 17 December 2025.

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Overview:

The Philippine Army has continuously been acquiring small firearms including rifles in an annual basis, in some cases even more than once a year.

In this case, a requirement was made for 8,234 units, using the Philippine Army's Capital Outlay funds for Fiscal Year 2024.

Despite the funding coming from 2024, the project was only raised in 2025 which may mean that the Philippine Army was not able to use the funds back in 2024, but must now use it before the end of 2025 or risk losing the funds as they are required to return it back to the National Treasury.



Technical Requirements:

We noticed that the specifications used by the Philippine Marine Corps has a wider range in terms of dimensions, performance, and operating system compared to previous specifications used by the Philippine Army.

This means that the PMC is very open to any brand and design as long as it meets the requirements. 

Among those noted are the following:

Caliber: 5.56mm x 45mm NATO
Overall Length: maximum of 900mm with buttstock fully extended, maximum of 810 mm with buttstock fully retracted
Overall Weight: maximum of 4.0kg without magazine
Barrel: M4A1 type, 1:7 rifling twist, 366.76mm to 370.84mm (14.4 to 14.6 inches) long, medium contour with M203 cut-out, made of Cold Hammer Forged High Grade Chromium-Molybdenum-Vanadium Alloy Steel

Receiver Assembly Material Composition: 7075-T6 Aluminium Alloy
Rail Interface: MID STD 1913 
Operating System: Direct Gas Impingement System (DGIS)
Rate of Fire: 700 to 970 rounds per minute
Feeding: capable of accepting STANAG M16 30-round magazine

Major Accessories:
* 1 x 30-round STANAG magazines per rifle
* 1 x 3-point Tactical Sling per rifle

Potential Competitors:

Since the project is being acquired through public tender, it would be difficult to guess which offer would be accepted as public tender tends to be priced-based especially that most of the tenderers have been participating in similar projects before.

Based on the Supplemental Bid Bulletin No. 1 released on 11 November 2025, there are at least 4 interested tenderers, namely, United Defense Manufacturing Corporation (UDMC), Taurus Armas, Nashe Enterprises, and Armscor Global Defense Inc.

1. The RD4P rifle from Armscor Global Defense - this could be their first potential supply of the new rifle, only released in 2024, to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The rifles are built locally in Armscor's manufacturing facility in Marikina which fits the general overall preference to support the local arms industry.

The RD4P rifle from Armscor Global Defense. Photo credits to Insider.ph.

2. The SIGM400 or the SIG516G2 from SIG Sauer, both of which has already been sold to the Philippine Army in previous AR15-type rifle requirements. The SIG516G2 is the latest variant of the SIG516 short-stroke piston rifle, which is similar to the SIG716G2 7.62mm rifles also already in use with the Philippine Army.

The SIG516G2 (top) and the SIGM400 (above). Photo credits to SIG Sauer.

3. The DSAR15 and DSAR15P rifles from South Korea' Dasan Machineries, which have been competing with in similar projects in the past. It has found success in winning a tender for the Philippine Air Force, and is expected to participate in this project for the PMC.

The Dasan DSAR15P (top) and DSAR15. Photo credits to Dasan Machineries.

4. The Taurus T4 rifle from Brazil's Taurus Armas, which have also been sold in the Philippine Army, even becoming one of the M4-type rifles with the highest quantity in the PA's inventory after the Remington R4A3. 

The Taurus T4. Photo credits to Ricardo Torres.

It is expected that other suppliers may offer alternatives from other countries including other models from Israel, US and Europe, but it would be difficult to assess until we actually see a list of submitted tenders.

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U P D A T E S:
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18 December 2025:

The Notice of Award was released by the Philippine Army's Bids and Awards Committee through the Office of the Commanding General, in favour of the South Korea's Dasan Machineries Co. Ltd. through its Philippine representative United Defense Manufacturing Corp. last 11 December 2025.

It is expected that a Contract and Notice to Proceed might be made available in a few months.

Based on the MEAB Evaluation posted on 01 December 2025, Dasan Machineries Co. Ltd beat Taurus Armas S.A. and the Joint Venture of Nashe Enterprises and Mertsav Defense of Turkiye, ranking 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively. It appears that Armscor Global Defense did not submit a bid.

Dasan Machineries appears to have priced the lowest of the three submitted tenders, which allowed them to score the highest on Financing Rating. The South Korean arms maker also scored the highest on Technical Rating, after offering an additional 7,392 units of the same rifle, with committed deliveries totalling 15,626 units.

The MEAB evaluation, photo credits to Philippine Army.

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20 December 2025:

United Defense Manufacturing Corp. on behalf of Dasan Machineries Co. Ltd. received the Notice to Proceed and signed the Contract with the Department of National Defense on 16 December 2025, paving the way for the start of the project and confirmation of Dasan Machineries' win.

The total contract cost is Php752,007,485.88.

The contract also included the Schedule of Requirements which shows what Dasan Machineries would deliver as part of the contract.

Photo credits to Philippine Army.

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First edit and release: 30 December 2025
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource

ORD-PABAC2-014-26 Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon (MMAW) with Precision Guided Munition (PGM) Acquisition (2026) of the Philippine Army

 The Philippine Army (PA) has raised a requirement for the acquisition of new Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapons (MMAW) with Precision Guided Munition (PGM) capabilities, which will be funded through the service's capital outlay funds from GAA for Fiscal Year 2026.

This was to provide the service with new anti-armor capabilities, which could also be used in shore and beach defense against enemy amphibious assault vehicles or landing crafts. 

This specific project is the second time that the Philippine Army is purchasing guided-missile MMAW systems, as an earlier one for 5 launchers was made in 2024 and awarded to South Korea's LIG Nex1.

The AT-+K Raybolt from LIG Nex1.

Project Summary:

Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon with Precision Guided Munition (2026) Acquisition Project:

Note: Edited as of 07 December 2025

* Project Number: ORD-PABAC2-014-26

* End User: Philippine Army 

* Quantity: 20 launchers, 40 missiles

* Modernization Phase: Philippine Army GAA Capital Outlay for FY2026

* Project ABC: Php450,000,000.00

* Acquisition Mode: Public Bidding

* Source of Funding: Philippine Army GAA Capital Outlay Funds for FY2026

* SARO Release: N/A

* Winning Proponent: TBC

* Product for Delivery: TBC

* Contract Price: TBC

* Residual Difference (Savings):  TBC

* First post by MaxDefense: 05 December 2025

* MaxDefense Searching Hashtag: #PAMMAW2024Acquisition 

* Status: Public tender was opened on 04 December 2025, SOBE scheduled on 23 December 2025.

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Overview:

The Philippine Army has been pushing to acquire Medium Multi-Purpose Assault Weapons (MMAW) which was also included in the Horizon 2 phase priority acquisition.

Previously the requirement is for unguided systems, closely similar to light anti-tank weapons or recoilless rifles to replace existing old units.

But changes in priorities have pushed back the acquisition of MMAWs, with the existing RPG-7-type rocket propelled grenade launchers instead fitted with more powerful bunker busting thermobaric rounds for anti-bunker operations, as well as High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds for use against light armored vehicles.

With the changes in priorities, the project was among those that were reviewed by the Philippine Army in light of the War in Ukraine, and it was now decided to revise the requirement to now use anti-tank missile systems, with fire and forget capabilities and able to actually destroy main battle tanks.

It still remains to be seen if the Philippine Army will still acquire light anti-tank/anti-bunker weapons since there have been recent interest in Saab's M4 Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles.

But it now appears that acquisition of anti-tank missile systems will be made using annual Capital Outlay allocations to the Philippine Army instead of under the modernization program, no different from any small arms/infantry weapons.Z

An earlier acquisition of the same type of weapon was publicly tendered in 2024, with South Korea's LIG Nex1 winning the tender after meeting the technical specifications and financial and documentation requirements.

The Philippine Army already gained some baclground on the Javelin missile system as they were used during recent exercises. Photo xredits to DVIDS.

Technical Requirements:

Based on the technical specifications provided by the Philippine Army, the MMAWs shall have the following:

Range: at least 2,000 meters
Caliber: maximum of 130mm
Overall Weight: maximum of 30 kilograms including launch tube assembly, missile and battery coolant, and command /control/observation launch unit

Missile Length: between 900mm to 1,300mm

Seeker: Imaging Infrared (IIR) minimum

Guidance System: Infrared Homing, Fire and Forget

Warhead: Tandem or Dual Charge, HEAT

Attack mode: Top attack with minimum engagement range of 150m, Direct Attack with minimum engagement range of 65m

Hit Probability: at least 90%


These requirements are the same as the tender back in 2024.

Possible Options:

In the public tender back in 2024, the Philippine Army found that LIG Nex1 as the winning tenderer, offering their AT-1K Raybolt anti-tank missile system.

It is unclear if there were other competitors considering the specifications were very much favorable to the Korean anti-tank system.

Not much can be said at the moment since the project back in 2024 has not yet been delivered to the Philippine Army and may take time before they can actually test the system in Philippine conditions.

The Rafael Spike (Top) and LIG Nex1 Raybolt (above) are most likely to contend for this project. Photo credita to Rafael and LIG Nex1.

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U P D A T E S:
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First edit and release: 07 December 2025
Copyright MaxDefense Philippines / Philippine Defense Resource