A mock-up of the Philippine Navy’s most potent anti-ship weapon, the South Korean-made LIG NEX 1 C-Star “sea-skimming” surface-to-surface cruise missile, in this photo taken during the Navy’s 126th founding anniversary on May 24, 2024. The C-Star will again play a major role in this year’s “Balikatan” as it will be fired anew in the “maritime strike” portion of the drill. (PNA photo by Priam Nepomuceno)
The Philippine Navy’s (PN) most advanced anti-ship weapon, the South Korean-made LIG NEX 1 C-Star “sea-skimming” cruise missile, is set to once again take center stage in this year’s “Balikatan” exercises.
According to the official Balikatan information kit, the C-Star missile will be fired during the “maritime strike” (MARSTRIKE) segment of the drills on May 5, targeting a decommissioned World War II-era corvette.
This follows last year’s historic first C-Star launch on May 8, 2024, when the BRP Jose Rizal (FF-150) successfully fired the missile during MARSTRIKE exercises off Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. The C-Star delivered the final blow to the decommissioned tanker BRP Lake Caliraya (AF-81), after it had already been hit by a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missile launched by the BRP Lawrence Narag (PG-907). The vessel was further pounded by Philippine and U.S. aircraft before sinking.
The successful use of the C-Star marked a significant milestone for the Philippine Navy, whose ships previously relied solely on naval guns with effective ranges of only 3 to 16 kilometers. In contrast, the C-Star boasts a range between 180 and 200 kilometers, drastically enhancing the Navy’s reach and firepower.
Currently, the C-Star serves as the primary anti-ship armament of the BRP Jose Rizal and its sister ship, the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151). Each frigate, commissioned in 2020 and 2021 respectively, is fitted with four C-Star launch tubes.
Meanwhile, the Navy’s soon-to-be-commissioned vessels, the BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06) and BRP Diego Silang (FFG-07), are expected to feature an even more formidable arsenal. Each ship will be equipped with eight C-Star launchers, as well as anti-aircraft missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, a 76mm main gun, and secondary weapon systems.
For this year’s MARSTRIKE, the target will be the former BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19), a World War II-era corvette. The ship, originally commissioned as USS Brattleboro (PCER-852) for the U.S. Navy, was transferred to South Vietnam in 1966 before joining the Philippine Navy in 1976.
In addition to the C-Star, other firepower assets that could be employed to sink the aging corvette include the Philippine Air Force’s FA-50PH fighter jets, and U.S. military aircraft such as the F-16s, F-35s, and potentially the F-18s.