China has revealed the weapons wish list its subservient ally, Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, plans to buy from it at very advantageous terms, and is recommending aging weapons to fit this small budget.

Philippine defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippines will acquire the weapons and equipment through a $14 million grant from China, adding the Philippines is prepared to spend $500 million more for this military hardware.

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Lorenzana said the Philippines submitted its wish list three weeks ago to Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua. Among the weapons favored by Duterte are non-satellite precision guided munitions (PGMs); unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) or armed aerial drones and an unspecified type of boat, probably a fast attack craft.

Lorenzana said Duterte doesn't want guided missiles, which are far too expensive. He also said Duterte preferred PGMs because these smart bombs or missiles will reduce civilian casualties (or collateral damage) compared to using iron or "dumb" bombs.

"We asked for many things -- boats, drones," said Lorenzana.

He pointed out that If China approves the $14 million grant, a government representative will go to China to negotiate the deal.

"We haven't gone there (to send a representative) because we just gave them the list. So if they can supply the equipment, that's when we will go," said Lorenzana.

The website of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) that published a story about Duterte's wish list also recommended a few weapons that might give Duterte and the "cash strapped" Philippines more bang for the buck.

It recommended the CH-3 UCAV and the "FT PGB" family of Precision Guided Bomb kits, both of which aren't top of the line but within the small Philippine budget.

The CH-3 UCAV  belongs to the CASC Rainbow (Cai Hong) series Chinese UAVs developed by the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, which is part of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). It has a range of 960 km and can stay airborne for 12 hours.

China has supplied CH-3s to Nigeria along with 100 kg YC-200 guided bombs and AR-1 air-to-ground missiles. AR-1 is designed specifically for UCAVs such as the CH-3 and CH-4.

AR-1 is a derivative of the HJ-10 helicopter-borne anti-tank missile. It carries a 10 kg warhead and has a range of 10 km. It uses either inertial or satellite guidance.

FT PGB is a family of Chinese built PGM kits developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of CASC. It's an upgrade kit to modernize gravity bombs with precision guidance using either an inertial guidance module or a satellite guidance module.

FT is similar to the U.S. Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) from which it's derived.

Tagschina, Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, weapons, Delfin Lorenzana, Zhao Jianhua, precision guided munitions, unmanned combat aerial vehicles, CH-3 UCAV, FT PGB