British and Belgium firms win

philippines awards military contracts to British, Belgian firms
Agence France Presse July 5, 2002 Friday

British shipbuilders QinetiQ Ltd. and Belgian armorers FN Herstal have been
awarded two contracts under the Philippines’ military modernization program, an
official statement said Friday.

QinetiQ will upgrade and reconfigure three Philippine Navy “Jacinto Class”
patrol vessels on behalf of the British defense ministry, it said.

The statement said the vessel upgrade would enhance the navy’s capability to
“support the conduct of internal security operations, search and rescue, and
maritime operations”.

FN Hersal will equip the Philippine Army and the Philippine Marines with
Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW), which are light machine-guns that can be carried
and fired by one man.

The statement said the Philippines would become the 48th nation, including
the United States, to have the SAW in its arsenal.

The cost of the contracts were not disclosed.
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