The Philippine Navy has officially entered the era of vertical launch missile technology with the deployment of MBDA VL-MICA surface-to-air missiles aboard BRP Miguel Malvar. For years, Philippine warships faced critical air defense vulnerabilities against low-altitude sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles due to the physical limitations of legacy traverse launchers. By integrating a 16-cell vertical launching system, the HDC-3100 corvette eliminates architectural blind spots and achieves true 360-degree fleet air defense in under one second. Paired with dual-seeker active radar and imaging infrared technology, this modernization leap provides critical survivability against intense electronic warfare and saturation strikes across the West Philippine Sea. Watch our full military deep-dive analysis to discover how vertical launch systems redefine naval deterrence and sovereign airspace protection under the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept.
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Source: DefAsia
