MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy’s drone unit gained another system with the transfer of Ocean Aero Triton autonomous underwater and surface vehicles through a U.S.-funded initiative.
Four Tritons were officially handed over to the Philippine Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Unit One at Naval Operating Base Subic Bay on Monday. Powered by wind and solar panels and capable of operating up to 30 days at a time, these drones are designed to persistently monitor maritime activities on the surface and underwater. The transfer of Triton comes as the Armed Forces of the Philippines seeks modern systems to bolster its detection and tracking capabilities amid a series of maritime standoffs with the Beijing in the South China Sea.
A U.S. Embassy in the Philippines release highlighted that the drones will help Manila counter “gray zone activities” and “threats to freedom of navigation.”
“The Ocean Aero Triton is particularly well aligned with AFP needs because it addresses persistent maritime awareness at ultra-low cost and low logistics burden—a critical gap for an archipelagic nation,” Andre Morabe, Vice President of International Strategy at Ocean Aero, told Naval News.
Morabe highlighted that the firm’s persistent unmanned system will help Philippine forces in their mission in monitoring “thousands of islands and a vast [exclusive economic zone].” He further noted that the Triton can be rapidly deployed from forward operating bases and remote islands, such as those utilized by Manila in the Spratlys or the Batanes Island Group in the Luzon Strait. The drones can also be launched from boat ramps and other vessels.
“Unlike traditional unmanned underwater vehicles that are constrained by battery endurance and require frequent recovery, Triton can persist in an operational area for extended periods, continuously collecting and transmitting data while maintaining a minimal logistics footprint. Its ability to carry side-scan sonar, passive acoustic sensors, navigation systems, and other specialized payloads makes it an ideal platform for detecting threats, monitoring critical infrastructure, and supporting seabed warfare operations,” said Morabe said.
Ocean Aero’s Tritons join previously transferred unmanned surface vessels from Maritime Tactical Systems, another American firm that has been tapped to provide Philippine forces with drones through Washington’s security assistance efforts. Four Mantis T-12 and at least one Devil Ray T-38 are being used by the Philippine Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Unit One for operations in the South China Sea.
