Portugal’s EID, which specialises in military communications systems company, announced on 30 July that it has won a deal to supply two naval integrated communications systems (ICS) to Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL.
EID said its Integrated Communications Control System (ICCS) will be fitted to the two new Tarlac-class landing platform docks (LPDs) – which are designated Strategic Sealift Vessels (SSVs) by the Philippine Navy – constituting the second batch of four SSVs ordered by the Philippines.
The latest success brings the total number of EID’s ICCS solution to over 50 vessels in five Southeast Asian navies, the company added.
“With these new ships, we can now count on our systems in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. Today’s contract with the Philippine Navy for the production of the systems at PT PAL’s shipyards demonstrates our commitment to continuing to develop solutions that meet the needs of our partners,” said Martin Bennett, Executive President of EID.
“We are excited to continue our collaboration with PT PAL and the Indonesian Navy, contributing to the modernization and efficiency of their naval operations,” added Bennett.
According to EID, the ICCS, is fully designed, produced and supplied by EID and is designed to enhance the efficiency and safety of communication operations on board naval vessels. The modular and scalable system can also be adapted to a variety of operational scenarios according to military requirements both in land and sea.
The Philippines signed a follow-on contract for two more SSVs with PT PAL in June 2022, which follows the US$90 million contract signed in June 2014 for the first batch of two SSVs. The first-of-class SSV BRP Tarlac was commissioned in June 2016 while its sister ship BRP Davao del Sur was inducted in May 2017.
Construction of the third and fourth SSVs, which will feature several enhancements to the original design, is already under way with their keels laid in PT Pal’s facility in Surabaya in January and May.
by Jr Ng
