Germany has promised to donate drones to the Philippines for maritime surveillance operations in the West Philippine Sea.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced the package during a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo added that “around four or more” drones will be included in the delivery.
The drones will be a part of a 129-million-euro ($141 million) assistance package from Berlin and be deployed as coast guard reconnaissance capabilities in the contested region.
They will also be used in disaster response and relief operations, anti-drug and illegal fishing missions, and oil spill assessments.
Upholding Security
In 2022, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) partnered with the German government to donate two Trinity F90+ drones to the Philippines.
The donation was part of a GIZ project titled “Supporting the Philippine Coast Guard in Securing Rule-based Order in the Indo-Pacific Region” to bolster weak points in coastline security.
The drones can fly up to 60 minutes, covering about 300 hectares (1.15 square miles) at a 120-meter (394 feet) altitude.
German Ambassador to the Philippines, Anke Reiffenstuel, stated that the handover underlines the country’s commitment to improving its allies’ peace, security, and stability.
“Germany’s commitment is to strengthen the role of the Coast Guard to protect the coastline and provide capacity development to maximize the equipment provided by Germany,” she said.